Suspected Thief Held; Cash Recovered

Hopkinton's Ryan McClay, arrested by Milford Police Wednesday after a car chase that ended a short distance from his home, is locked up after seeing his bail revoked at Milford District Court.

McClay, 20, was not eligible to be released because of pending charges in another court, and was held on $25,000 cash for his alleged connection to a string of break-ins throughout Milford, Det. Jay Ball said.

Police say McClay is a suspect in break-ins to businesses and cars throughout Milford, Framingham, Natick, Ashland, Holliston and Hopkinton.

Ball said police have recovered cash from McClay's most recent break-ins, which included Peter's Market and Baza Jewelers, both in Milford. McClay was reportedly caught with $6,000 in cash and $1,000 worth of cigarette cartons.

In all, he faces 51 charges for crimes in Milford alone. He was arraigned on those charges today and yesterday.

Holliston police are seeking a summons to charge McClay with six charges in their town.

Police do not expect to recover items McClay reportedly stole from cars, including GPS units.

"When these things are stolen, if they're not recovered right away, they're usually gone," Ball said. "They turn them right into cash."

In general, Ball said, stolen goods can be bartered for drugs, sold to pawn shops or exchanged for money.

"(McClay) turned $200 into a tattoo the first night," Ball said, referring to when the alleged crime spree is believed to have started.

Police are looking into the possibility that someone may have given McClay a ride in another town before or after the break-ins. That allegation is not substantiated, however, and McClay has not implicated anyone else in the crimes, Ball said.