Police: Holland Street Shotgun Incident Involved Stolen Turtle

It's an image you'd expect to see in a Hollywood depiction of 1950s Appalachia, not one you'd associate with Holland Street in Somerville, between Davis and Teele squares, on a Thursday afternoon:

A man sitting on his porch, "stroking" a shotgun, a handgun stuffed into his waistband, accusing his upstairs neighbors of stealing his pet turtle.

But that's exactly what happened at about 3:15 p.m. on July 26 at 142 Holland St., according to allegations in a Somerville police report.

According to one of the victim's accounts in the police report, she and her boyfriend were coming home when they noticed Seth Roberts, 31, on the front porch. He told them someone took his turtle, his "baby" whom he saw hatch, and he asked how they'd like it if someone took their baby, the report says.

Roberts was "stroking" his shotgun and had a handgun visible in his waistband, the victim told police.

She told him they didn't know anything about his turtle and he shouldn't threaten them with a gun, according to the report. 

Roberts then pumped his shotgun several times, ejecting shells, according to the account. The victim grabbed one of the shells and ran up the stairs to call police, she said in the report.

According to the report, several police units responded to the address after receiving the call. Officers set up in the back of the home and formed a safety permitter in the front before knocking on the first-floor apartment's door, according to the report. For 10 or 15 minutes nothing happened, and then Roberts suddenly opened the door, the report says.

After handcuffing him at gunpoint, officers conducted a sweep of the home and discovered a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun, a Ruger 40-caliber handgun, a Ruger 45-caliber handgun, Remington 12-guage shotgun shells, machetes, and .22-, 5.56-, .45- and .380-caliber rounds of ammunition, according to the report.

Roberts, who's listed as coming from Hamilton, was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

142 Holland St. is about 100 feet away from , which has a popular playground for young children.

Please remember that allegations contained in police reports do not indicate a conviction.

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