EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — A 63-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a commercial break-in that occurred during the early morning hours of May 20, 2026.
At approximately 4:30 a.m., patrol officers responded to Riverside Market on Bullocks Point Avenue after receiving a report of a burglar alarm.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the business had been broken into.
Detectives immediately responded and launched an investigation alongside members of the Patrol Division.
Through teamwork between the Patrol Division and Detective Division, along with assistance from members of the East Providence community, investigators were able to quickly identify a suspect.
Detectives tracked the suspect to a hotel parking lot in Seekonk, Massachusetts, where they located Jeffrey Willis, 63, of East Providence.
While under observation, Willis was seen smashing the window of a parked vehicle and was immediately taken into custody by Seekonk Police officers less than 12 hours from the original call.
Willis was charged by the Seekonk Police Department with vandalism and fugitive from justice charges.
He will also face charges in East Providence for breaking and entering into a business and will await extradition back to Rhode Island.
Willis has an extensive criminal record dating back 40 years.
