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Worcester Square vestibule proves problematic for hapless burglar: He found himself trapped in it, smashed his way out, was promptly arrested, police say
By adamg on Tue, 09/03/2024 - 1:20pm
Boston Police report arresting a man they say tried to break into one of the brownstones on the even-numbered side of 28 Worcester Square around 1 this morning: Once he opened the outer door, he found himself trapped - he couldn't open the second, inner door and then the outer door locked him into the small space.
Police say John Mucci, 44, of Somerville escaped by smashing in the outer door - but not for long: Officers responding to a 911 call from a resident spotted him fleeing and turning the corner onto Harrison Avenue, where they quickly detained him and charged him with felony breaking and entering in the nighttime. And, of course, South End brownstone doors don't come cheap, so he was also charged with destruction of property over $1,200, court records show.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
Like Ron Burgandy
He was trapped in a glass case of emotion.
Fire code violation?
Even though it proved useful in this one case to trap a burglar, I can't imagine that it can be legal to have doors that act this way. And what if it was the FedEx guy instead?
The South End abounds in fire code violations.
Alley gates, garden gates are illegally locked with padlocks everywhere.
It looks like dwelling houses
It looks like dwelling houses are exempt:
Section 126: Fastening doors during business hours; violation of statute
Section 126.
No inside or outside door of any building subject to the supervision of the attorney general which, under the provisions of the state building code, is required as a means of free egress or escape from fire, and no inside or outside door of any industrial establishment in which ten or more persons are employed which is marked ''exit'' or in any other manner designating the same as a means of egress or escape from fire shall, during business hours, be so locked, bolted or fastened that such door cannot be opened from the inside by the use of the ordinary door knob, or by pressure on the door or on a panic release device, so called. No inside or outside door of any other building, other than a dwelling house, wherein any person is employed, which door shall have been determined by the department of fire services, upon the written request of the attorney general, to be a means of such egress and escape shall, during business hours, be locked, bolted or fastened as aforesaid or obstructed in any manner which would not permit free egress. The owner, lessor or lessee, or any other person in charge, of a building or portion thereof any door of which shall be found locked, bolted or otherwise fastened or obstructed in any manner which would not permit free egress, contrary to any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
My grandma's brownstone in Roxbury had an exit lock on it ever since the "Boston Strangler" was roaming around. It was torn down in the 80's to make room for the Goodwill warehouse/retail shop on Harrison Avenue.
Mantrap working as intended
It's a feature, not a fire code violation.