WINCHENDON – On Saturday, September 12, 2026, at approximately 10:19 a.m., a property manager at Winchendon Self Storage, 67 Gardner Road, called the police station to report past break-ins at several storage units. Winchendon Police Detective Caleb Similia said he responded to take a report.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Detective Caleb Similia and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
“On September 14, 2026 at approximately 1:20 p.m., [the property manager] called the station to report additional units found broken into,” Detective Similia said. “Through a review of Winchendon Self Storage’s surveillance footage, I found that two individuals were involved in the breaking and entering of 12 storage units and the larceny of numerous items. Surveillance showed they gained entry into a majority of the units by cutting the locks with bolt cutters.”
Detective Similia said that, over the course of the investigation, he was able to identify the suspects as Jeanette Tyler and Lee Bertram.
According to police, Jeanette Marie Tyler, 56, is a resident of Rindge, New Hampshire, and Lee Bertram, 37, is a resident of New Ipswich, New Hampshire.
Detective Similia said Tyler was interviewed on September 16, 2026, after she was found attempting to sell suspected stolen items at Gardner Coin and Cards, and Bertram was interviewed on September 21, 2026, when he was found attempting to do the same at Sleepy Hauler Antique Center.
“During the interviews, each admitted to being present for the breaking and entering’s and stated their belief that the units belonged to the other,” Detective Similia said.
Detective Similia said that on Sept. 21, 2026, Bertram was arrested in Sleepy Hauler Antique Center and Tyler was arrested in the adjacent parking lot, where she was waiting in her vehicle.
Detective Similia said that during his arrest, Lee was found to be in possession of a blue pill he identified as Viagra, a plastic corner bag containing a tan powdery substance, a small Ziploc bag containing another plastic corner bag containing a tan rock-like substance, and a white circular pill marked “FM5.”
“When questioned about the powder, Lee stated it was probably heroin,” Detective Similia said. “In addition, I seized a blue backpack from Jeannette’s vehicle, which she claimed belonged to Lee and had stolen items.”
Officers subsequently searched the backpack and found suspected stolen items, including a flute, coins, jewelry and a magnifying glass. They also found drug paraphernalia, suspected crack cocaine, a scale, a metal cylinder and a blue silicone container containing a white rock-like substance.
“A check on Drugs.com identified the white pill as ‘Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Extended-Release,’ a prescription drug,” Detective Similia explained.
Detective Similia said that, based on his training and experience, he believed the tan powder in the corner bag was consistent with heroin or fentanyl and the rock-like substances found on Lee and in the backpack were crack cocaine.
“Lee Bertram conspired and entered into a joint venture with Jeanette Tyler to break into units at Winchendon Self Storage on two occasions,” Detective Similia said. He added that from approximately 12:23 a.m. – 1:45 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, Tyler and Bertram broke into six units, numbered 24, 26, 30, 31, 33, and 68 at Winchendon Self Storage. Due to this, Detective Similia said he requested that Tyler and Bertram be charged with conspiracy and six counts of breaking and entering nighttime for felony.
Additionally, from 8:44 a.m. – 10:22 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, Detective Similia said Bertram and Lee broke into six units, numbered 2, 23, 51, 76, 82, and 85. Due to this, Detective Similia requested that Bertram and Lee be charged with six counts of breaking and entering daytime for felony.
“On several storage units, surveillance showed Lee in possession of bolt cutters, utilizing them to cut locks and gain entry,” Detective Similia said. He added that since Tyler was seen breaking the lock to one of the storage units with bolt cutters on Sept. 14, 2026, that both Bertram and Tyler would also be charged with possessing a burglarious instrument.
Lee Bertram, 37, of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, was charged with the following:
- Breaking & Entering Nighttime for Felony (six counts)
- Breaking & Entering Daytime for Felony (six counts)
- Conspiracy
- Possess Burglarious Instrument
- Possess Class A Drug (heroin/fentanyl)
- Possess Class B Drug (crack cocaine)
- Possess Class E Drug (Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Extended-Release)
Jeanette Marie Tyler, 56, of Rindge, New Hampshire, was charged with:
- Breaking & Entering Nighttime for Felony (six counts)
- Breaking & Entering Daytime for Felony (six counts)
- Conspiracy
- Possess Burglarious Instrument
Bertram and Tyler were both arraigned in Gardner District Court on Sept. 22, 2026. Following their arraignments, both were released on $2,500 cash bail under the condition that they stay away from Winchendon Self Storage.
Both returned for pretrial hearings on Oct. 16, 2026. Bertram’s pretrial hearing was continued to Nov. 13, 2026, while Tyler’s was continued first to Oct. 21, 2026, and then to Oct. 23, 2026. Tyler’s next court date is a discovery, compliance and election hearing scheduled for Nov. 13, 2026.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in September, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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