BELCHERTOWN – Police will ramp up patrols of the State School property following a recent increase in incidents.
Belchertown Police announced Tuesday that trespassers will be arrested or charged. “We are hopeful that by educating the public and providing this warning, people will think twice before entering onto any of the grounds and risk being injured or subject to arrest,” Chief Christopher Pronovost said in a release.
Additionally, anyone found inside or attempting to enter any of the buildings will be charged with breaking and entering as well as any other appropriate criminal statutes, police said.
Any vehicles found parked along the posted “No Parking” areas around the property will be towed.
Police said in the past people found on the property have traveled great distances, even coming from other states.
Most recently, emergency responders have been called to the property on Nov. 5 and Nov. 17 for reports of smoke. In the case of the Nov. 5 incident, firefighters found a small trash fire on the second floor of the property’s store house, according to David Squires, a dispatcher with the department and administrative assistant to the chief.
In July, firefighters were called to property to battle a fire.
A suspicious fire in November 2015 destroyed a two-story house that once was a residential cottage on the property, but investigators could not pinpoint its specific cause or any suspects.