Massachusetts man with 42-page criminal record and open cases granted bail after recent arrest

A Massachusetts man with a 42-page criminal record was arraigned in BMC Central on larceny charges after robbing the same store three times in one month, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.  

60-year-old Darrin O’Neil of Dorchester is charged with larceny under $1200 and being a common and notorious thief.

O’Neil has a criminal record dating back to 1983, including numerous convictions for larceny, receiving stolen property, credit card fraud, and breaking and entering. He currently has open cases for larceny from a building and receiving stolen property in Somerville.

Judge James Coffey ordered $2500 bail and a stay away order for the location of the theft. O’Neil will return to court Tuesday for appointment of council.

On Saturday, an employee of Dick’s House of Sport at 760 Boylston Street in Boston called police to report a man concealing merchandise. Officers responded and observed a male matching the description exit the store and cross Boylston Street. Officers stopped the individual, later identified as O’Neil, who was in possession of clothing with tags still affixed. The total value of the items retrieved was $408. The items were returned to the store, where an employee showed officers surveillance footage of what appeared to be O’Neil stealing items on two separate dates.

“We and our partners are focusing on retail-based crimes for a number of important reasons, including worker and shopper safety and the desire to keep stores open and accessible to consumers. Some offenders will receive the services they need to help change their behavior. Others, particularly violent repeat offenders, will be treated as the public safety threats they are,” Hayden said. 

Hayden’s office, the Boston Police department, regional retailer groups and small business owners in 2024 launched the Safe Shopping Initiative, an effort to increase consumer safety and help store managers strategize responses to shoplifting and retail larcenies. The initiative formed amid increasing national and local frustrations around retail crime, along with concerns over the closure of several pharmacies serving minority communities in Boston.