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Career criminal receives $15,000 bail for break-ins

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - A career criminal who has had 315 criminal arraignments and is suspected in close to 200 high-end break-ins appeared in court on Wednesday and received $15,000 bail for his alleged role in three robberies that occurred in a Needham apartment complex.

Craig Cromartie, 44, of Framingham, was arrested on Monday following an investigation that involved numerous officers and detectives from Boston and surrounding communities.  The suspect was arrested at the Red Roof Inn in Framingham with more than $20,000 in cash.

Cromartie is charged with three counts of breaking and entering and intent to commit a felony for his alleged role in three robberies that occurred at the Charles River Landing apartment complex in Needham on May 8, 2012; however, detectives suspect Cromartie is responsible for nearly 200 break-ins totaling over $1 million.

Cromartie's adult record goes back to 1985, and he has over 100 entries on his Board of Probation record; however, he has never served a lengthy sentence.

Despite charges of assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on a corrections officer, and a 1991 arrest for kidnapping and aggravated rape, the longest sentence that FOX 25 found was a three year sentence.  Two of those years, Cromartie was on probation which he violated.

In a strange twist, Cromartie has a number of luxury cars, two party buses, and a mobile home registered to a C & C Limo Transportation Corporation listed at 10-78 Boston Post Road in Marlboro.  However, that business does not exist there.

The Secretary of State-Corporation Division says they only keep a record of the application and do not verify the information in it.

FOX 25 asked the RMV how all these vehicles could be registered to a fake company with a fake address.  A spokesman told FOX 25's Crystal Haynes that they have no way to instantly verify an address, but there is a statue requiring a person registering their vehicle with the state to provide valid information, essentially leaving it up to the individual to ensure their information, including their street address, is correct.
   
Although Cromartie's $15,000 bail was considered low by some, there is a 60-day bail review so Cromartie will not be able to bail out for at least 60 days.  During that time, law enforcement is hoping to bring other charges against him.

Photos of the stolen items are posted on the Natick PD Facebook page.