Mass. criminal arraigned for 250th time

BARNSTABLE, Mass. (WPRI) -- A Massachusetts man was arraigned for the 250th time Friday after police arrested him for a string of recent crimes.

Police say 45-year-old Derrick Degrace of Mashpee was arrested Thursday and is facing a laundry list of charges.  Detectives say his "long and notorious criminal record" dates back to 1985.

His latest crime spree started on November 10, when he allegedly broke into a car in a parking lot in Hyannis and stole the owner's checkbook, then spent the next two days forging checks and cashing them at banks in Hyannis, Mashpee and Falmouth.

On November 19, police say he was at a bank trying to cash another forged check when he noticed another customer counting out cash for a deposit.  Degrace grabbed it - about $1,300 - and ran.

Later, on November 28, police report he allegedly snatched a purse from a 78-year-old woman outside a Stop and Shop in Marstons Mills.  After a short chase, Degrace got into a waiting car and fled.

Barnstable police say they were able to track him down and arrest him in Falmouth around noon on Thursday.  He was taken to the Barnstable Police Headquarters and faces a number of charges, including breaking and entering into a motor vehicle, six counts of forgery, and multiple counts of larceny.

A judge ordered him held on $10,000 cash bail at his arraignment Friday morning and he is due to be back in the courtroom again on December 20.