WESTFIELD – A West Springfield man already held pending trial for larcenies to support his heroin addiction returned to the city Friday after additional stolen items surfaced and he was charged with additional crimes.
The man allegedly stole jewelry from residences where his girlfriend had been staying.
In February, Det. Brian Freeman investigated a report of stolen jewelry and his inquiry quickly focused on James Rubin, 22, of 50 Herrman St., West Springfield, who had access to the house where the victim was living through his girlfriend, the daughter of the homeowner.
Freeman reports that his conversation with the victim “quickly led me to believe that James Rubin was a heroin user.”
In his first conversation with Det. Timothy Grady, an experienced narcotics investigator, Rubin admitted stealing from the victim and came to the station to be interviewed.
He told Grady, Freeman reports, “that he stole the items to support his heroin habit. He stated that he uses as much heroin as he can get.”
Rubin admitted stealing two rings and a set of silver coins from the victim. Freeman was able to recover the items from the precious metals buyers who had bought them from Rubin but one ring had already been cut in half, apparently preparatory to scrapping the item for its metal value.
Rubin was released on his personal recognizance after he was arraigned on larceny charges in Westfield District Court but that recognizance was revoked in late June and he was held without right to bail after he was arraigned in a separate case in Springfield District Court.
Although he was sent to the Hampden County Correctional Facility he garnered additional charges after items of gold jewelry he had sold to a Westfield jeweler surfaced.
Det. Anthony Tsatos reports that he photographed the gold bracelet and charms and, when he showed the pictures to the mother of Rubin’s girlfriend, she identified them as items which had been left to her by her mother.
Tsatos interviewed the woman’s daughter who said that Rubin had spent the night before he sold the gold pieces with her at her mother’s home.
Rubin was brought from the correctional facility to Westfield District Court on Friday for arraignment on two additional charges, larceny of property valued more than $250 and receiving stolen property valued more than $250, and Judge Philip A. Contant set bail at $500.
He continues to be held and will return to court for a Sept. 19 hearing.
