Lanesborough Police Investigating Armed Robbery

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LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A Good Samaritan was robbed — possibly at gunpoint — when he stopped to help what he thought were stranded motorists on Route 7 on Wednesday morning. 
 
The victim was traveling south on Route 7 at about 6 a.m. when he stopped near the New Ashford town line to check what appeared to be a disabled motor vehicle on the right shoulder of the roadway.  
 
As he approached the vehicle, the driver exited and he was approached by another man and felt what he believed to be a gun pressed against his head, according to the police report.
 
The two men then robbed him, got in their vehicle, and drove south on Route 7, police say.
 
The "disabled" vehicle was described by the victim as a "dark-colored older model pickup truck with some rust, a ladder rack, and Vermont license plates."
 
Lanesborough Police are requesting information from travelers who may have witnessed the incident or possible camera footage of the area. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department at 413-443- 4107.
 
The Pittsfield Police Department also posted the report to its social media page because they know many residents travel Route 7 and asked them to report any observation of the suspected vehicle or even possibly provide dash camera footage.

Tags: robbery,   

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Dalton Sale of Bardin Property Challenged

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The sale of the last parcel of the land known as the Bardin property is being challenged. 
 
The town received four bids on the property: $30,000, $31,500, $51,000, and $51,510. Dicken Crane of Holiday Farm was the highest bidder at $51,510 but was not awarded the parcel. The 9.15-acre property is located off Route 9, right on the town line of Windsor. 
 
During a Select Board meeting on Nov. 10, the board awarded the final parcel to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels that were under an Agricultural Preservation Restriction for $150,000. A fourth lot is in the town of Windsor. 
 
The Balardinis were the third highest bidder with at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded it to them in an effort to keep the property intact.
 
Board member John Boyle's reasoning for the decision included how the family has proposed an agricultural development project and will allow public access to their land, including for hunting, and his concerns about rights-of-way issues.
 
"The property up there has already been purchased from the town by the Balardini family. They have been great stewards of the land which is what the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture looks for," he said. 
 
The final parcel is not under an APR. 
 
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