Robert Silva
Yarmouth Police/CWN
YARMOUTH – A Yarmouth man with five active arrest warrants was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after breaking into a residence and fleeing on foot toward the South Shore Drive beaches.
On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at approximately 4:30 PM, Yarmouth Police Officers responded to a report of a breaking and entering in progress on Pine Grove Road.
The homeowners had just arrived home when they discovered an unknown male inside their residence. Upon being confronted, the suspect immediately fled the home on foot and ran toward the South Shore Drive beach area.
Based on the description provided by the homeowners and the suspect’s known history, officers quickly identified the individual as Robert Silva, 64, of Yarmouth. Silva is well known to law enforcement and has a long history of breaking and entering in the area. Officers also confirmed that Silva was wanted on five active arrest warrants.
Officers immediately began searching the surrounding neighborhoods and beaches. A short time later, Silva was located walking along the beach near South Shore Drive. Officers took Silva into custody as he exited South Middle Beach.
Yarmouth Police Detectives interviewed Silva regarding the Pine Grove Road break-in. Silva admitted to his involvement in that incident and confessed to additional residential break-ins in the area.
Silva was transported to the Yarmouth Police Department for booking and was charged with two counts of Breaking and Entering for a Misdemeanor in addition to the five warrants. He was arraigned in Barnstable District Court and is being held.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Yarmouth Police Department at (508) 775-0445.
For further information, please contact the Yarmouth Police Department’s PIO, Officer Nicholas Giammarco, at 508-775-0445 ext. 2136 or [email protected]
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From CWN archives September 24th, 2012:
New details: Wanted man captured after chase in Yarmouth
Robert M. Silva (2012)
Yarmouth Police/CWN file
YARMOUTH – On Monday at 2:27 PM, Robert M. Silva, a convicted felon wanted on 7 warrants from the Waltham and Barnstable District Courts, was spotted by Deputy Police Chief Steven G. Xiarhos getting into a white mini-van on South Shore Drive in South Yarmouth. Silva drove off in the van and was followed by Deputy Chief Xiarhos westbound on South Shore Drive.
On nearby McKenzie Road, Xiarhos activated his cruiser blue lights and siren but Silva refused to stop and drove away at a moderate rate of speed westbound on South Shore Drive. Xiarhos radioed the Yarmouth Police Dispatch Center for assistance as the suspect drove through the quiet neighborhood streets. Yarmouth Police Dispatchers Paul Leidenfrost and Stephen Peterson coordinated the police response and Xiarhos was subsequently assisted by fellow Yarmouth Police Patrol Officers Melissa Alden, Michael Wells, Mark Noone, and Patrol Sergeant Francis Hennessey as well as Yarmouth Department of Natural Resources Police Officer Edward Tierney. Pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic volume was very light and Silva continued to refuse to stop and drove off north on Run Pond Road, east on Willow Street, north on River Street, and Pleasant Street and east over the Bass River Bridge into Dennis.
Silva was eventually captured 4.5 miles later as he traveled down a dead end gravel driveway on Fisk Street in West Dennis and could drive no further. Yarmouth Police Patrol Officers Alden and Wells ordered him out of the white 1997 Chrysler mini-van, which was stolen from the garage of an unoccupied home on Shore Side Drive, and took him in to custody after he refused to comply with verbal commands and the Officers were able to overcome his resistance.
With the assistance of members of the Dennis Police Department the stolen vehicle was secured and the suspect was transported to Yarmouth Police Headquarters where he being held without bail on the original 7 outstanding warrants as well as a slew of new motor vehicle charges and new charges of burglary and larceny of a motor vehicle and will be arraigned in the Barnstable district Court on Tuesday.
Media release and mugshot furnished by Yarmouth Police
