BICYCLIST WHO STOLE TRUCK FROM YARMOUTH PD HERE “VISITING” FROM...

ABOVE: Image from initial HN report published on June 30, 2025… which shows a member of the sheriff’s crime scene unit dusting the suspect’s bicycle for fingerprints… and a screenshot of a heavily redacted Yarmouth Police report sent to HN July 8, 2025.

YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS – The following updated HN report is based on information from the crime scene on June 30, 2025, a two-page (heavily redacted) police report sent to HN from the Yarmouth Police Department’s Record Access Officer on July 8, 2025, and other official police reports later uncovered by HN through additional sources.

The following is the initial crime scene narrative (word for word) submitted by Patrolman Austin Buttrick of the Yarmouth Police Department. HN has redacted parts of the report to protect the victims:

“On June 30, 2025, I, Officer Austin Buttrick was working the midnight shift. At approximately 0146 hours I was dispatched the front lobby of the Yarmouth Police Department for a report of a stolen vehicle. I met with a male who was identified as [the victim], he explained to me that his truck had just been stolen from the parking lot of the Yarmouth Police Department.

[The victim] explained to me that he was in the front lobby waiting to bail out his brother who was in police custody when a male entered the lobby and asked him for his keys to his truck. He told me that the male spoke Portuguese, as did he. He explained that the male said something along the lines of ‘I can help you with your brother but I need the keys to your truck so I can move it, you can’t leave it there.’ Additionally the male handed a firearms license application from the lobby counter and told him to read over it, confusing [the victim]. [The victim] said that he thought the male worked for the Yarmouth Police so he gave the male his truck keys. The male then went to move his truck, driving away and not returning. After a few minutes had passed [the victim] knocked on the window and asked dispatch if his truck will be brought back. Working through a language barrier while speaking with [the victim] Sergeant Burnham discovered that his vehicle had been stolen. I observed a bicycle by the front door of the lobby that the suspect had used to access the parking lot. [The victim] noted that there was nothing of value within the vehicle to include electronics, jewelry, money, etc. I contacted Rams ‘UConnect’ vehicle services to see if they could access the location of the vehicle but the subscription was not in [the victim’s] name, they were not able to be of assistance.

The stolen vehicle is a 2021 Black Ram 1500 bearing MA REG 4WFA51. It was entered as stolen into NCIC (V346999114), GBC #65.

The suspect is described as a male, age ranging 30s/40s, wearing a blue shirt and shorts, over the ear headphones, and a dark colored bag/briefcase. The male speaks Portuguese and is approximately 5’8”.

BCI CIO Bartram responded to process the bicycle and the paper forms for fingerprints.
At the time of this report (June 30, 2025 3:45am) the vehicle has not been located and a potential suspect has not been identified.”

The following is a narrative report submitted later in the day (after the alleged crime) by Patrolman Thomas Belinski of the Yarmouth Police Department. HN has redacted parts of the report that could possibly identify victims:

On Monday, June 30, 2025, I was working Day Shift and assigned to the West Sector in marked unit J21. The victim of the stolen vehicle arrived at the Yarmouth Police Department lobby with additional information about his stolen vehicle. He arrived in the company of his brother in law, [redacted], who helped translate.

The victim said he posted online that his vehicle had been stolen. This morning, a friend of his [redacted] sent him photos of his truck and a possible location at Cottage and Nobby. […] The victim and [his brother-in-law] proceeded to the police department to report the information, they did not go to the scene. The victim reiterated that he did know the person and had never seen the person who took his truck before.

Officers proceeded to check the area where the truck was reported to last be seen. The vehicle was located and additional information was gathered. See Ofc. DiPirro’s supplement report [below]. After the investigation on scene, the victim was allowed to retrieve his vehicle and was asked to come back to the police department. The [initial person of interest], Luciano, was also contacted and asked to come to the police department.

Luciano [who was not the one ultimately identified as the alleged thief in this case] arrived at the police department and was interviewed in one of the rooms adjacent to the lobby. […] Luciano primarily speaks Portuguese so a language line interpreter was used. He was read Miranda Warnings from my Miranda Warning card. He said he understood every right that was read to him and agreed to speak with me. When asked if he knew why he was here, he said he did and that it was about the Dodge Ram truck that was at his house. When asked directly if he was at the police station at any point early this morning or last night he said he was not.

Luciano said that his house mate, Helio Costa Jr., had brought the truck to the house, but did not say anything about it except that he had bought it for Luciano. Luciano was skeptical because he believes Helio uses drugs and looked to [be] under the influence when he saw him. Luciano did admit that he had to move the truck to be able to leave for work for the day. I showed Luciano a short video we had of the truck parked at 29 Cottage. He admitted that it was him in the video, and that he was trying to find information on the truck to see who it belonged to. He noticed that the front license plate was missing and that the rear license plate had been bent down. In the video, he said that he was trying to bend the plate up to take a photo of the license plate. The video shows what Luciano described to me.

When asked about his relationship with Helio, Luciano said that they are friends and Helio also owns the property at 29 Cottage. Helio rents the house to other people and rents the garage to Luciano. When Helio is in town, he stays in the garage portion with Luciano. Helio lives primarily in Brazil and is in town [to visit family] in Weymouth. [Luciano] said he is supposed to head back to Brazil on 7/20. Luciano said that Helio left the house on his bike around 0100 hours and returned around 0600 hours with the truck. He described the bike as a blue medium sized mountain bike that possibly has an angled frame instead of one that is just horizontal. [HN NOTE: According to a search of town records, HN verified Helio Costa Jr. is listed as the owner of 29 Cottage Drive in Yarmouth. He reportedly purchased the property on 4/21/2020 for $296,600.]

The following is a narrative report submitted by Patrolman Kyle DiPirro of the Yarmouth Police Department. HN has redacted parts of the report to protect possible victims:

On 6/30/2025, I, Officer DiPirro, was assigned to Patrol the W/N Sector of the town in full uniform and in fully marked cruiser J10 for the 0730 – 1530 shift. During roll call, we were briefed about a vehicle which was stolen from the Police Department’s front parking earlier in the night (see 25-724-OF for details). Shortly after roll call, at approximately 0800 hours, the owner of the vehicle responded to the lobby of the YPD to advise us his vehicle was located at 29 Cottage Dr. Officer Brewer, Sgt. Tsoukalas and I responded to this address to confirm.

Upon arrival, I observed the stolen vehicle; a black 2021 Dodge Ram pickup truck bearing MA 4WFA51. The vehicle appeared as if it was hastily parked on the front lawn of the residence, facing south/southwest. The vehicle was missing its front license plate, and the rear plate was damaged and bent in half, as if someone tried removing it. BCI was contacted to process the truck. Several fingerprints were lifted from the vehicle by BCI.

I spoke to the two residents at the address, [redacted, residents 1 and 2]. They stated that they woke up this morning to discover the vehicle on their front lawn. They checked Facebook and quickly discovered it was stolen [based on a Facebook post]. They contacted the person who posted the stolen car information who then contacted the owner who responded to the lobby of the PD. They provided me with a 10 second security camera clip from approximately 0645 hours this morning depicting what appears to be a Hispanic male wearing a green/blue shirt and grey shorts manipulating the rear license plate. They stated Helio Costa Jr. is the owner of the residence, who rents to them as well as another male identified as Luciano [Luciano’s last names have been redacted for the time being]. Luciano allegedly resides in the garage in the rear of the property, and Helio will stay in the Garage with Luciano whenever he is in town. Helio allegedly resides in Brazil full time but is currently in town [to visit a relative]. After BCI completed processing of the vehicle, the owner responded to take custody of the vehicle. He responded to the lobby of the Police Department, where he provided me with a package addressed to Helio Costa Jr of 29 Cottage Dr which he located in the bed of his truck. […] The owner of the vehicle, [the victim], indicated he wished to press charges.

Later on in the morning, [a woman claiming to be the wife of Helio Costa Jr] responded to the lobby of the police department claiming to have information about the stolen vehicle. […] She stated that she went to pick up Helio up this morning at his residence of 29 Cottage Dr to take him to [visit a relative] in Weymouth. [She] claimed Helio was acting strangely. He told her he bought the truck last night and was showing it off, even asking her if she wanted to take it for a drive. [She] declined and drove the family to Weymouth in her vehicle while Helio allegedly ingested what she suspected to be cannabis edibles. After she dropped off Helio [in Weymouth], Helio asked [her] to pick him up at 1400 hours to take him to the airport.

Detective Nuss was able to retrieve security footage of the incident in the Police Department lobby last night, depicting the suspect who stole the truck. Detective Nuss provided me with a still photo of the suspect from the video. I showed the picture too [the wife], asking her ‘who is this?’ She answered ‘Helio’ without hesitation. The footage was also entered into evidence. I was able to confirm Helio as the suspect as well through photographs by [the wife and a renter].

Due the fact that Helio appears to be attempting to evade arrest by fleeing the country, I am requesting a warrant be issued for his arrest for the charge of:

* Larceny of a Motor Vehicle

According to a clerk at Barnstable District Court, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Helio Costa Jr. on 7/1/2025. As of today, 7/17/2025, the warrant for the arrest of Helio Costa Jr. remains active. No further details available at the time of this HN report…

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