A former Haverhill man court officials called a career criminal with nearly 20 arrests to his name has been arrested again, this time in Methuen for breaking into Walmart and Mann’s Orchard in that city, Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon tells WHAV.
Stephen B. Hines, whose last known address is in Kingston, N.H., was arrested by Methuen Police Wednesday, Oct. 23 just before 6:30 p.m. after police say he stole a cash register drawer from Walmart on Pleasant Valley Street. While that incident was being dealt with, other officers were dispatched to the nearby Mann’s Orchard to investigate an alarm call, which was later determined to be a burglary, Solomon said.
Hines was later charged with breaking and entering at that location.
All told, 52-year-old Hines was charged with one count of burglary and breaking and entering, one count of destruction/damage to property, one count of larceny and one count of larceny from a building. According to Solomon, he was also charged with five warrants out of Haverhill for burglary-related offenses.
As only WHAV reported last spring, Hines was one of two men arrested after an April Richdale fight on White Street. During his arraignment, Hines lost his temper with a Haverhill District Court judge and assistant district attorney over what he said were false claims that made him “look bad” in the wake of a bloody convenience store brawl.
Facing one count of unarmed robbery—allegedly stealing $2.00 during the Richdale melee—and assault and battery, Hines couldn’t hold his tongue while Assistant District Attorney John DePaulo recounted the facts of his case. Judge Stephen Abany was forced to take action.
“You’re lying! I’m tired of this guy! He always makes me look bad every time I come up here…I’m sick of it” Hines said at the time. “Don’t let him sit there and say what he wants—most of it’s bull.”
According to DePaulo, Hines often uses his 5’11, 240 lb. frame to intimidate others, including downtown Haverhill business owners and patrons.
“It’s more manhandling in this case, than panhandling,” the district attorney said. “He’s been arrested 17 times!”