Fairhaven police arrest two men for breaking into home

The Fairhaven Police Department received a call from a town resident just before 8am Friday morning, reporting a residential break in progress. The caller informed police that he was watching a live video feed from his house showing two male parties breaking in. Police responded to the Howland Road residence and discovered two men inside the house on the second floor. Sergeant David Sobral, Officers James Bettencourt and Pamela Bourgault, along with Massachusetts State Police Troopers Walter Baiardi and Michael Bucca surrounded the house.

Officer Bettencourt entered the residence and made his way to the second floor, followed by Officer Bourgault and Troopers Baiardi and Bucca. Ho took one party into custody without incident. The second party jumped out a second floor window and led the home owner and Officers Scott Joseph and Christopher Bettencourt on a foot chase through the neighborhood. They eventually caught him and took him into custody in the side yard of a Brown Street home.

The suspect arrested inside the house was identified as 28 year old Brian Chandanais of 3 Main Street, Acushnet. The suspect who was captured after fleeing from the house was identified as 29 year old Jay Burtch of 37 Wing Lane, Acushnet. Chandanais was charged with breaking and entering in the daytime to commit a felony, vandalism, larceny from a building, possession of burglarious instruments and resisting arrest. Burtch was charged with breaking and entering in the daytime to commit a felony, two counts of vandalism, possession of burglarious instruments, disturbing the peace and larceny from a building.

A small amount of property was recovered from the suspects. The vandalism charges stem from the damage they did to the house while making forced entry. The entire break was captured on video by a video security system the home owner had installed in the residence. Both suspects were arraigned the same day in New Bedford Third District Court.”