Benefit honoring slain officer marred by theft
A Hyannis woman was caught on camera absconding with a sports-themed gift basket donated in slain Yarmouth K-9 Sgt. Sean Gannon’s name to a silent auction held Friday night, authorities said yesterday.
The stolen item, described as “a decorative blue box containing golf balls, baseball hats, and a variety of shirts,” was recovered from the trunk of 56-year-old Maureen E. Wiggin’s vehicle at her home by Barnstable officers Corbin Fries and Jeffrey Jackson after police said she was initially “uncooperative.”
Wiggin will be summonsed to Barnstable District Court at a later date to be arraigned on the charge of larceny of property under $1,200.
Yarmouth police Chief Frank Frederickson, who was one of the guests attending “Back the Blue: A Night to Remember Sean,” was left shaking his head yesterday.
“We as police officers see a lot of this happen in a lot of forums, but you just can’t believe someone would stoop that low to do that. This is typical of what’s happening in our society today,” Frederickson told the Herald. “It’s just kind of sad that it took place. If officer Gannon were involved in this he would probably look at the individual a little deeper than just someone who stole from a wonderful charity event. Like, what else may have been going on there?”
Tickets to the fundraiser were only $25, but police said Wiggin never purchased one.
The event was held at the Cape Codder Resort and Spa in Hyannis and sponsored by the Behavioral Health Provider Coalition of Cape Cod and the Islands, with 100 percent of the proceeds earmarked to benefit the Yarmouth Police Foundation.
Police responded to the property about 10:30 Friday night after several people noticed the gift basket was missing. “A review of the security video showed a woman removing the item from a table and leaving the venue,” police said.
Once Wiggin was identified, Fries and Jackson “advised Wiggin the incident was captured on video,” police said. “Wiggin was initially uncooperative, but the stolen item was eventually recovered from the trunk of her vehicle.”
Wiggin could not be reached for comment.
Gannon, 32, was murdered April 12 while serving a warrant at a home in Barnstable. His K-9 partner Nero survived a bullet to the face. The dog has since been approved to return “to full activities,” though an official decision on whether he will return to police work or retire has not been made, Frederickson said.
Frederickson said the outpouring of love and support for Gannon and Nero “just continues. It’s immense. My job as chief has become manager of the goodness of people,” he said. “We’ve got this new sense of normal. There’s a lot of sadness still, but a lot of this goodness is helpful.”