Stolen motorcycle raffled off for family in need found in Massachusetts; man arrested

A motorcycle that was stolen Monday afternoon during a charity raffle at a New Hampshire tavern has been found in Massachusetts, police said. The personalized bike was supposed to be collected by the winner of a raffle in which proceeds of nearly $23,000 helped a family battling Alzheimer's disease. Surveillance video shows someone leaving the tavern's patio on a motorcycle. “My bartender comes running in and says, 'Someone just got on the bike and took off with it, someone just stole the bike,'” said Jake Magro, owner of L Street Tavern. said. “At first I thought they were joking with me.” Police said the motorcycle fled south on Ocean Boulevard, heading toward Massachusetts. According to a Wrentham police report, an officer saw a man, later identified as Brian Bennett, 36, of Amesbury, Massachusetts, pushing a motorcycle along the Washington Street breakdown lane just after midnight early Tuesday. The rider told the officer his bike was dead and he was heading to a nearby truck stop to get a jump start, which he was able to get from a vehicle there, according to the report . Bennett told the agent he had won the bike in a raffle in New Hampshire, adding that the bike was still registered to the previous owner and the paperwork had not yet been processed, according to the report. “When I walked around to the back of the motorcycle, I noticed it had a North Carolina motorcycle registration with the plate number RESTLS. Seeing me looking at the plate, Brian tried to protect her by walking in front of her. Brian's tone of voice seemed to be a little higher pitched and he spoke much faster,” according to the report. Bennett repeated that the registration was not in his name, gave the officer his license information and said, “I'm not going to run at you, don't worry” as he tried to start the car. motorcycle, according to the report. . The officer checked the tag indicating the bike was stolen. Bennett again told the officer he had won the bike and left, ignoring the officer's orders to turn off the bike. The bike broke down again nearby on Washington Street and he was arrested. Police found four knives in Bennett's possession, one of which was covered in blood. Police believe Bennett used the knife to dismember a deer carcass, parts of which were found in the motorcycle's saddlebags. Wrentham Police Chief Bill McGrath said some details were very disturbing, including the fact that Bennett said he ate the traffic victim. “He would cut pieces and cook them on the exhaust. That’s what he told us,” McGrath said. Bennett also told officers that he “just stole a car from a rental place in Boston the other night,” adding that he was arrested by Massachusetts State Police after a car accident and that he had been released on bail. Police in Hampton, New Hampshire, said an arrest warrant had been issued for Bennett, charging him with theft by unauthorized taking. Bennett was charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, subsequent trespass and failure to stop for a police officer. Bennett was also charged with felony nighttime breaking and entering and malicious destruction of property valued at more than $1,200 by Wrentham police in connection with a break-in around 11:40 p.m. at Helping Hands of America. Bennett is undergoing a mental health evaluation. Police are still trying to reunite the motorcycle with its rightful owner.