COURTESY OF THE YARMOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT: Kevin Lima, 36, of Acushnet was arrested Thursday afternoon in Plymouth for allegedly stealing from a disabled US Marine and his family last week in Yarmouth.
YARMOUTH – Police have arrested the Acushnet man accused of stealing the belongings of a disabled US Marine and his family last week at the Cape Cod Inflatable Park.
Police say 36-year-old Kevin Lima was arrested in Plymouth around 1 p.m. Thursday. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon on multiple counts of felony larceny and one count of felony intimidation of a government witness.
Lima was located after a week-long investigation by Yarmouth, Acushnet and State Police.
Marine combat veteran Robert Watson, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, his wife and their two young children were on vacation last week when they met a man and his young son who befriended them at the park.
Later, the family left their belongings for a few minutes and returned to find the man gone and their belongings taken.
Inside the beach bag were both of their wallets, cash, identification cards and bank cards.
Watson’s military identification cards, health care and veterans’ affairs cards were also taken.
Park workers told the family that a heavy set man was seen walking out of the park carrying a bag matching the description of the stolen bag.
The park gave the family $100 and the family received additional money from Yarmouth Police, courtesy of the US Marine Corporal Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Fund at Citizens Bank.
Several customers and employees at the bank also made additional cash donations directly to the family once they heard the story.
Watson thanked the community for their support.
“The community is so sweet, everybody did everything, once they heard the story, they can see my face in the news, they’re coming up and giving me money out of their pocket,” said Watson. “I’m so grateful. I want to thank everybody and they’ll always have a place in my heart.”
It was the family’s first vacation to Cape Cod, but because of the hospitality and support they received from the community, it won’t be the last.
Watson said that they intend to return next month in time for Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen on July 24.
“You always hear stories about how it’s not the same up north like it is down south, you don’t have that southern hospitality,” said Watson. “Well you know what? They’re wrong. They’re really wrong.”
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
Speak Your Mind