WILLIAMSTOWN - Police are investigating break-ins that occurred early Monday morning at several Main Street businesses.
Someone forced open the back doors at the Moonlight Diner, Wild Oats Market and Angelina's Sub Shop and took off with an unspecified amount of cash, although police said the total amount was in excess of $500.
According to police, the thief or thieves also damaged offices and cash registers.
Dawn Hinkell, owner of Angelina's, said the sub shop had been broken into 2005, shortly after she and her family bought it. The Hinkells had installed a metal grate over the back door in an attempt to prevent a repeat break-in.
"Whoever they were, they really had to work to get in here," Hinkell said. Hinkell, of North Adams, was informed of the break-in by city police, who had been contacted by their Williamstown counterparts. "It's not a phone call I want to get at 4 a.m."
Hinkell said the police K-9 unit checked the area and that she expected police to contact later Monday.
She's informed the other businesses in the Colonial Shopping Center about what happened so they can take extra precautions.
Like Hinkell, Wild Oats manager Michael Faber did not want say how much had been taken. Faber did say the back door had broken in and a few other items, along with the cash, had been stolen.
"We're going to evaluate and improve on what we are already do" in terms of security, he said.
Officer Scott Skorupski discovered the Angelina's break-in first, at about 3 a.m., while conducting a regular check of the building, said police.
Police said Dunkin' Donuts on Main Street was broken into on Oct. 27.
Hinkell said one of her customers, a contractor, has offered to fix her back door. "I have wonderful customers."
"I don't know if [the thieves] think what they did isn't hurting anyone, but it is," she said. "We're a family business. We've been hurt."
Anyone with information on the break-ins is asked to contact McGowan at 413-458-5733.
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Pittsfield Council Passes $232.7M Budget
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council unanimously approved a $232.7 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
It is a modest, almost 2.9 percent increase from FY26.
"I do want to give the community kind of a heads up as we move forward on budgets. What we see coming out of the federal government that's trickling down to the states, it's going to be harder and harder for us as a community to meet our needs under the Proposition 2 1/2," Councilor at Large Alisa Costa said.
"We're going to have challenges, as we've seen communities across the state trying to override the Proposition 2 1/2, because we have dwindling amounts of money coming from the state and federal government."
She pointed out that, at the same time, utility bills are going up for both residents and the city, as are the costs of pavement and other items.
The amended budget of $232,777,720, down from the $232,782,090 originally proposed, includes cuts to the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the restoration of funds for councilors to attend the annual Massachusetts Municipal Association conference.
The Pittsfield Public Schools' $86,855,061 budget includes $68,886,061 in state Chapter 70 funding and $18 million from the city. With $345,000 in school choice and Richmond tuition revenues, it totals $87,200,061 and is an approximately $300,000 increase from the Pittsfield Public Schools' FY26 budget of $86.9 million.
The district's budget will fund 13 schools, as Morningside Community School will retire in the fall, and includes the middle school restructuring.
Councilors also approved the use of $2 million in certified free cash to reduce the tax rate, and appropriated $450,551 for parking-related expenditures.
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Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
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For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
