Cops: Mass. man hid in storm drain to evade police

HYANNIS (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - A West Yarmouth man attempting to evade police hid in a storm drain after he reportedly tried to shoplift a television from Sears on Saturday.

Justin M. Peckham, 20, was arrested on Saturday by Barnstable Police after he fled the scene of a robbery on foot and hid in a storm drain for four hours.

Officers responded to Sears at the Cape Cod Mall on Route 32 in Hyannis around 5:49 p.m. on Saturday after it was reported that a man attempted to load a 55-inch television set into a vehicle waiting outside the store.

Initially, Peckham cooperated with security; however, when he heard that police were responding, he took off on foot leaving the 20-year-old driver of the vehicle and his 2-year-old child behind.

The suspect allegedly jumped over a fence and could be heard splashing in the water, but was nowhere to be found when police arrived.

Around 9:30 p.m., police received a call that a person was observed exiting a man hole in the mall parking lot.

Police arrested Peckham who admitted to hiding underground.  He told police he armed himself with a rock in order to fend off rodents.

Peckham will be arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Monday on a single charge of larceny.  A report was filed with the Department of Children and Family because Peckham left his son in the car.

Cox Media Group