Man Arrested After Allegedly Making Himself At Home On Sailboat
BOSTON (CBS) – An alleged pirate of sorts was forced to walk the plank into police custody after a couple discovered him on board their sailboat partaking of the provisions.
Eric Pfaltzgraff, 39, who claimed a post office box as his address, was arrested early Sunday, the Suffolk District Attorney's office said.
Evelyn and Douglas Sabbag live on their sailboat Triumph. They sail the world and for the past several months have called Boston Harbor home.
The couple returned to their sailboat docked off Commercial Street just after midnight to discover its door broken and slightly open. They allegedly found Pfaltzgraff sitting on their couch eating their cake and smoking a cigar with several beer cans lined up on the coffee table.
"He immediately jumped up from where he was sitting and flashed his badge," Douglas Sabbag said.
Authorities said that when confronted by the couple, Pfaltzgraff first claimed to own the boat and presented some receipts. He also allegedly claimed to work for the Boston police Harbor Patrol and showed a "Special Police" badge and baton that the real police seized as evidence when they took him into custody.
"We thought there was a fire on board or somebody had seen something going on and he was here to inspect," Evelyn Sabbag said. "It all started becoming clear in a confused sort of way and that's when we backed off the boat."
Pfaltzgraff was also allegedly wearing the man's Rolex watch but returned it before going ashore with police.
He was arraigned on charges of breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, larceny over $250, and impersonating a police officer.
Boston Municipal Court Judge Thomas Horgan imposed $5,000 bail and ordered a three-week mental health evaluation for Pfaltzgraff at Bridgewater State Hospital.
He is scheduled to return to court April 28.
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