Regional Roundup: Local Woman Stalked Theo Epstein, Housebreaks on the Rise and More

A Canton woman who had to be removed from the Holy Name School in West Roxbury after showing up unannounced is also a suspect in stalking former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein. Kathleen Kearney, 45, of Canton, was charged last summer with felony stalking and criminal trespass after she allegedly flew from Boston to Chicago to look for Epstein at his home and at Wrigley Field, reported the Chicago Tribune.

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Residential Housebreaks on the Rise in Norwood

Like many communities around us, the Town of Norwood has seen an uptick in residential housebreaks over the last four months. Since September 2012, thirty residential breaks to homes have been reported to us. Many remain under investigation. Many of these housebreaks have occurred in the Callahan and Prescott school districts, along with the area of West Border Road. Taken in these housebreaks, are items that are easily concealed by the thieves such as jewelry and small electronics. Also, large screen televisions were stolen in two of the breaks.

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According to police reports, there was a report of a past larceny at a supermarket on Providence Highway. The employees informed police that the suspect fled northbound on Providence Highway, but the merchandise was recovered.

According to the loss prevention employee, the suspect was a black female who selected a large quantity of items, walked passed the registers and tried to exit the store without paying for the items. A loss prevention employee started to follow the suspect into the parking lot and told her that she needed to return to the store with the items. She then told the employee that she "didn't have time."

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Stoughton College Student Dies in Amherst Apartment Fire

Jake Hoffman, 21, of Stoughton, was identified as the UMass Amherst college student who died in an early morning fire in an off-campus apartment building in Amherst Jan. 21.

Hoffman, a 2009 graduate of Stoughton High School, was in his senior year at the UMass Amherst, studying Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Fire crews responded to a three-alarm fire at the Rolling Green apartment complex in Amherst around 4:45 a.m. on Monday. The fire, which caused severe damage to the building, displaced 32 people, 22 of whom are students at UMass, according to The Republican of Springfield.

Hoffman was the only reported fatality. The State Fire Marshal's Office said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the fire is believed to have started in the unit where Hoffman was found.

Click here to read an in memoriam column.