Burglary tools found during traffic stop

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) -- A man who'd been living at a Middletown motel is now behind bars, after a traffic stop revealed suspicious behavior and even more suspicious tools in his car. Police believe he was on his way to commit a crime.

James Radler, 50, last known to live at the Ramada in Middletown, is charged with felony possession of burglary tools and a misdemeanor of driving on a suspended license.

Barrington police officers Mark Haddigan and Walter Casey pulled him over on County Road about 3:30 a.m. Friday, because a light was out over the license plate on his 2010 Volkswagen Jetta.

But his behavior was odd, officers said: "He had a black leather coat draped across his lap," said Chief John LaCross. Radler was also wearing black sweatpants.

When the officers looked him up in a police database, they found plenty of background on him. Despite being behind the wheel, his Vermont driver's license was suspended, and he's wanted in Washington state on forgery charges.

A search of the Jetta revealed the burglary tools: needle-nose cutting pliers, Super Glue, binoculars, a ski mask, a change of shoes -- and even a handheld battering ram with some cloth attached to the end like a kind of silencer.

Then, Haddigan and Casey found a business card from a local store. Digging deeper they found out he'd been there earlier in the day and raised a little suspicion there: "He didn't really look like he was interested in any one particular item," said Det. Lt. Dino DeCrescenzo of the Barrington Police. "He wasn't in the store too long."

Police believe Radler had been on his way to the store.

At last check, Radler was being held at the ACI in Cranston.