Attempted break-in at auto shop in Orange leads to arrest of man with eight warrants

ORANGE — On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at approximately 4:28 p.m., Lieutenant Adam Cooley and Sergeant Jonathan Cole of the Orange Police Department were dispatched to 15 Wheeler Avenue following a report of an attempted breaking and entering.

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

Lieutenant Cooley said that the Shelburne Control Dispatch Center informed him that a woman reported that her neighbor, Keith, was chasing someone through the woods who had tried to break into his business.

“Upon arrival, I walked up to 15 Wheeler Avenue to locate anyone to see if there was additional information about what took place,” Lt. Cooley said. “While walking back down to the cruiser, I noticed Mr. Keith Forziati, whom I am familiar with and aware owns ‘Merica Auto on 419 East Main Street, to be walking around inside the business. I walked down to the front of his shop and Keith came outside to speak to me.”

Lieutenant Cooley said that Forziati told him that he observed a man exit a red vehicle on his security cameras.

“The male then walked over to the front of his shop and the vehicle drove away,” Lt. Cooley said. “Shortly after, Keith observed the male walk around to the back of his shop. Keith then began to put his shoes and sweatshirt on as there was no reason for anyone to be back there.

Forziati explained that as he walked around to the back of the building—where he lost sight of the male on camera—he observed the male standing with his back to the wooden door leading into his property, actively kicking it in an attempt to gain entry.

“Keith then yelled out, ‘What the f*ck are you doing?’” Lt. Cooley recounted. “Keith stated the male explained to him that he was looking for WIFI so that he could make a phone call for a ride as he had just gotten into a fight with someone. Keith explained that his WIFI was turned off but that he could follow him and use his phone. Keith believed that the male party was following him inside; but when he had gotten inside, he realized the male was gone.”

Lieutenant Cooley said Forziati explained that he believed he saw fresh tracks in the snow going behind his neighbor’s property but was unable to locate him.

“While speaking to Keith, I noted there to be footprints in the snow leading up to and back from the door where he allegedly saw the male party trying to kick his way in,” Lt. Cooley said. “I asked Keith what the male party was wearing. Keith informed me that the male was wearing two brown Carhartt type jackets with the hood up and jeans.”

At this time, Lieutenant Cooley gave Sergeant Cole the description of the suspect because he was actively looking around the area for the suspect.

“I asked Keith if we could look at his cameras,” Lt. Cooley said. “Keith had to secure his dogs first and then allowed me into his building to review the cameras.”

In the security camera footage Lieutenant Cooley said he saw a red Chevrolet Trail Blazer pull into the parking lot and stop.

“A male party then got out of the backseat area and began walking towards the building,” Lt. Cooley said. “The male was wearing a brown sweatshirt, blueish jeans, black shoes, and a black winter hat with a visor. As the male walked toward the front of the business, he threw on the ground another brown sweatshirt that he was carrying in his hands.”

The man appeared to be on his phone for a moment then placed the hood of the second sweatshirt over his other hood that was already on his head, Lieutenant Cooley said, and began to walk around the side of the building.

“The male then makes a right-hand turn along the fence line and goes out of sight of the cameras,” Lt. Cooley said. “Shortly after, just like Keith had originally stated, you see Keith walk around the side of the building and stop at the corner where he appears to be talking to the male party. They converse for a moment and then Keith begins walking back to the front of his shop. The male began to follow Keith but only for a short distance before he crossed Wheeler Avenue and made a right-hand turn onto East Main Street heading west. I updated Sgt. Cole of my observations and direction of travel for the suspect.”

Lieutenant Cooley said he spoke with Forziati for a few moments about how he could obtain a copy of the footage, and then cleared the scene to assist in searching for the suspect.

“Upon exiting the parking lot, I made a right-hand turn and headed west on East Main Street,” Lt. Cooley said. “Just a very short distance down the road, I observed out of the corner of my eye a male party standing between a fence and vehicle in a used car lot matching the exact description of the male that I had just observed on Keith’s cameras.”

Lieutenant Cooley said he exited his cruiser and ordered the man to come over to him. Lieutenant Cooley said the man refused to walk over to him and he was unable to identify him because the man had his winter hat pulled down tight to his eyes, his hoods up, and the collar area of his sweatshirt pulled up tight under his chin.

“I continued to order the male to come to me as I was walking towards him, the male party continued to ask why but would not move,” Lt. Cooley said.

Lieutenant Cooley said that once he got close to the man, he ordered him to place his hands behind his back, but the man did not comply.

“Once I was able to grab the male, I placed his arms behind his back and began to attempt to place cuffs on his wrists, however, due to two sweatshirts and gloves, the handcuffs were difficult to get closed and the male began to pull away at one point,” Lt. Cooley said.

Lieutenant Cooley said he maintained contact with the man and was eventually able to secure him in handcuffs.

“Once secured in handcuffs, I asked the male party what his name was several times, but he was refusing to answer me,” Lt. Cooley said.

Lieutenant Cooley said he told the male party that he had just seen him on camera down the road, where he had attempted to break in

“The male denied any of it and stated that he was just trying to use the WIFI,” Lieutenant Cooley said. “The male still refused to provide me with his name. I then removed a wallet from the male’s back pants pocket and noted a Massachusetts ID with the name Dale Tanner.”

According to police, Dale C. Tanner, 31, is homeless in Athol, MA. Court documents list his occupation as disabled.

“I knew that Dale had several outstanding warrants for his arrest, hence why he was refusing to identify himself,” Lt. Cooley said. “I then called in his name to Shelburne Control to confirm the warrants. Shelburne Control was able to confirm that Dale had eight outstanding warrants for his arrest.”

Tanner was secured in the rear of Lieutenant Cooley’s cruiser and transported to the Orange Police Department.

“Once at the station, Dale was brought into the booking room where he was searched and booked. Dale was also advised of his Miranda warning which was read from a card that I keep in the right breast pocket of my vest carrier,” Lieutenant Cooley said. “Dale advised that he understood. Dale was adamant that he never tried kicking in the back door and that he was only trying to speak to someone as he was looking for WIFI to use his phone.”

Lieutenant Cooley asked Tanner when he didn’t just knock on the front door of the business and he stated that he did not know that the business was open.

“Dale also claims to have seen someone behind the fence area, but this is clearly not the case as the only other one present was Keith, and he was inside the building at the time watching this unfold on his camera,” Lt. Cooley said.

Lieutenant Cooley said Bail Commissioner David Weiss was contacted after booking and notified that one of Dale’s eight warrants was non-bailable, and Dale was ordered held.

“Lieutenant Cooley said Bail Commissioner David Weiss was contacted after booking and notified that one of Dale’s eight warrants was non-bailable, and Dale was ordered held,” Lt. Cooley said.

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Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the arrest in this story took place earlier this month, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.

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