Bernardston man arrested after breaking into ex-girlfriend’s car in Athol, pouring urine on driver’s seat

ATHOL — On Sunday, November 17, 2024, at approximately 2:19 a.m., Athol Police Officer Gregory Fortes was dispatched to the area of 16 Leonard Street, following a report that a man was attempting to break into a motor vehicle.

(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Fortes and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)

“The reporting party, Karen [last name redacted] reported a male subject was trying to break into her neighbor’s car,” Officer Fortes said. “[Karen] stated that the male subject’s first name is Gary, and he is wearing a black hoodie and gray pants. [Karen] further stated that Gary’s truck is parked in Starrett’s parking lot.” (The parking lot Karen referred to belongs to L S Starrett Co., a manufacturing company located at 121 Crescent Street, that is about a two-minute walk to 16 Leonard Street, according to Google Maps).

When Officer Fortes, Athol Police Officer Paul Forand, and two Massachusetts state troopers arrived at the scene, the male suspect had already left the vicinity of the vehicle, identified by the caller through its plate numbers. However, he left behind several tools and personal belongings.

“Officers noted that the male subject had left his cell phone propped up against the vehicle’s windshield with the phone flashlight on and had also left several motor vehicle lockout tools wedged inside of the top of the vehicle door and one on the ground near a clear plastic cup with a yellow liquid inside,” Officer Fortes said.

Officer Fortes spoke with the reporting party, Karen, on her front porch. Karen said she recognized the man breaking into the vehicle as Gary Palazzo, because he is an old boyfriend of her neighbor Tanya [last name redacted].

According to police, Gary M. Palazzo, 36, is a resident of 164 Turner Falls Road, Bernardston, MA.

“She indicated that she is familiar with Gary, she indicated that he is an old boyfriend of neighbor Tanya [last name redacted], Officer Fortes is familiar with the male subject Gary Palazzo due to the many calls for service involving him and Ms. Tanya [last name redacted],” Officer Fortes said. “[Karen] stated that she received a text from her neighbor, Dawn [last name redacted] regarding Gary Palazzo heading towards her yard.”

Another neighbor, Ms. [first name redacted] Gaffney, who had several surveillance cameras outside of her residence, told Officer Fortes that she would provide the surveillance footage of the incident to Officer Fortes.

“Ms. Gaffney stated that she saw him come out of a truck that was parked in Starett’s parking lot holding a large thin metal rod. Ms. Gaffney pointed to the truck located across the street from her house (Mass [# redacted] Registered to Gary Palazzo),” Officer Fortes said. “It’s important to note that near the driver’s side of the victim’s motor vehicle, officers did locate a large, thin metal rod. Mass State Trooper Camden Hearn located Mr. Gary Palazzo hiding behind a shed near house number 36 on Leonard Street. Mr. Palazzo was placed in handcuffs.”

After he was apprehended, Officer Fortes asked Palazzo if he lives in the area.

“He indicated that he lives in Bernardston,” Officer Fortes said. “Officer Fortes then asked if that was his truck and pointed to the truck located in Starrett’s parking lot. Mr. Palazzo told Officer Fortes that the vehicle belonged to him. Mr. Palazzo was wearing a black hoodie and tan pants.”

Officer Fortes advised Mr. Palazzo that he was under arrest, advised Mr. Palazzo of his Miranda rights, and asked him what he was doing in this neighborhood at this hour.

“Mr. Palazzo stated that he was trying to get some of his property back and had got into an argument,” Officer Fortes said.

Officer Fortes told Palazzo that someone had witnessed him trying to break into a motor vehicle, adding that police had located his cell phone on top of the motor vehicle, which was later determined to be his ex-girlfriend Tanya’s, as well as several lockout tools, two of which were still lodged inside the top of the driver’s side door.

“Mr. Palazzo did admit to trying to gain entrée into [Tanya’s] motor vehicle and that the motor vehicle lockout tool belongs to him,” Officer Fortes said. “After further investigation, officers determined that the plastic cup with the yellow liquid inside of it was urine and Mr. Palazzo had dumped it all over the driver’s side seat of [Tanya’s] motor vehicle, due to the seat being freshly covered with liquid that smelled like urine.”

Officer Fortes received an email on his department email account from Dawn [last name redacted] of 44 Leonard Street. She provided five surveillance videos regarding this case. Dawn stated the following:

“I can see on my surveillance cameras that Tanya (next door neighbor) got home at 8:36 p.m. and parked on the street,” Officer Fortes recounted. “My camera shows Gary’s truck parked up on the east side of Leonard Street at 8:42 p.m. At 8:48 p.m., Tanya moved her car into her yard and parked. At the same time, Gary drives by our homes in his truck. At 9:20 p.m., Gary is on foot, pacing back and forth between my house and Tanya’s on his phone – no sign of his truck. This continued until 11:07 p.m. on my cameras. I sat on my front porch to keep watch and saw him eventually walk up the west end of Leonard Street, and after a couple minutes, saw his truck driving west on Crescent – towards Starretts, that was around 11:15 p.m. I came back inside. I’d already alerted my neighbor, Karen (on the other side of Tanya’s house), that we had a creeper because I’d seen him head towards her yard before he left, so we’d been messaging each other. Karen saw Gary in his truck in Starretts’ parking lot just sitting there. Eventually Karen saw him searching his truck for something. She saw him come back over to Leonard Street with something long under his arm – like a crowbar. I looked out my window and saw him looking into Tanya’s car with his phone’s flashlight. At this point, Karen and I decided it was time for 911 – I could see Gary working on the car like he was trying to get through the driver’s side window.”

Officer Fortes transported Palazzo to the Athol Police Department for booking. Once at the station, Palazzo was booked by Officer Fortes and given two separate phone calls to arrange for bail.

Palazzo was charged with the following (Officer Fortes’ reasoning for the charges is provided in quotations):

1. Breaking and Entering Vehicle Nighttime for Felony: “Mr. Gary Palazzo did use a motor vehicle lockout tool to enter [Tanya’s] motor vehicle during the nighttime.”
2. Vandalize Property: “Mr. Gary Palazzo did pour urine from a small plastic cup all over the driver’s seat of [Tanya’s] motor vehicle.”
3. Possession of Burglarous Tool: “Mr. Gary Palazzo was seen by a witness breaking into a motor vehicle, he was seen carrying a thin metal rod that was recovered at the crime scene, along with two other professional lockout tools.”

Officer Fortes added, “Mr. Gary Palazzo is being held on $5,000 + $40.00 cash bail till court on November 18, 2024, for his arraignment held at the Orange District Court.”

Palazzo was arraigned in Orange District Court on Nov. 18, 2024. During his arraignment, a bail hearing was held and his bail was reduced to $2,500 cash. Palazzo posted bail and was released following his arraignment under the condition that he stay 100 yards away from Tanya and stay away from 36 Leonard Street in Athol.

Palazzo’s next court date was scheduled for Dec. 17, 2024.  

Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story was from November, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to get the court documents for the incident. FOIAs are time consuming.

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