Pittsfield Woman Arrested for 'Machete' Armed Robbery at Big Y

Staff Reports 03:26PM / Thursday, June 12, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A city woman is being charged after allegedly threatening a grocery store clerk with a machete before stealing groceries.

Shortly before 9 p.m. on Tuesday, the Pittsfield Police responded to Big Y Supermarket at 200 West St. for a report of a woman who pulled out a bladed object described as a "machete," pointed it at the employees in a threatening manner, and left the store with a cart full of items.

Police Capt. Matthew Hill reported that the person, later identified as Collette Davis of Pittsfield, has been asked to leave the store by employees due to previous incidents.

Additional charges were added the next day during her booking due to an alleged attack on officers.

"Officers located Ms. Davis the following day (6/11) and [she] was subsequently placed under arrest on a warrant for the 6/10 incident. The "machete" that may have been used in the incident at Big Y was recovered & seized as evidence," he wrote.

"Following her arrest, she assaulted two officers in the booking room of the PPD. 2 counts of Assault & Battery on a Police Officer were added against her. She was scheduled to be arraigned at Central Berkshire District Court."

An eyewitness provided iBerkshires with an account of the incident, explaining that they saw a woman trying to steal a cart full of groceries pull out the large blade when asked to pay. The person expressed a fear of Big Y becoming unsafe over the years and reported seeing a decrease in security.

Tags: robbery,

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Pittsfield Committee Recommends Scanlon for City Audit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:30AM / Thursday, August 06, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After the bid for a new auditing company came back over 30 percent higher, Pittsfield will stick with Scanlon and Associates.

On Tuesday, the Auditing Services Evaluation Committee voted to advance Scanlon to the City Council for an independent audit. CliftonLarsonAllen also responded to the bid, but came in costing $120,000 more.

"I have to go with saving money for the city. I mean, the discrepancy is too much of a difference," committee member Karen Kalinowsky said.

"The city could have use for that difference over the next three years."

This process was prompted by Rule 40 of the council rules and the City Charter, where in any year the City Council votes to hold a procurement process for an independent certified public accountant or firm to audit Pittsfield's books and accounts, the city must, through its Finance Committee with the assistance of the purchasing department, solicit requests for proposals or invitations for bids before June 1.

The council in March recommended that the purchasing agent draft a request for proposals and put it out to bid.

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, who has been vocally in favor of the independent audit for years, said the city doesn't have to follow a bidding process for the professional service, "We are doing this so the public knows that we're being professional, and a looking for other options, looking at what the best options are, and comparing them based on what they can offer and what the cost is."

Board member Kathy Amuso said both CLA and Scanlon have equitable reviews with high recommendations. Especially considering the budget crisis Pittsfield is in, she moved to recommend Scanlon to the full council.

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