Lowell man to serve six months in jail for stealing gold chain from man fatally struck by MBTA trolley
BOSTON, September 18, 2025 – A Lowell man will serve six months in the House of Correction after being convicted by a Suffolk County jury this week for taking a man’s gold chain necklace after the victim was dragged to his death by a Green Line trolley at North Station in May 2023, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
A BMC Central jury on Monday convicted CHRISTOPHER POLANCO, 26, of Lowell on one count of larceny under $1,200.
Judge Paul Treseler sentenced Polanco to one year in the House of Correction with six months to serve followed by six months probation.
On May 30, 2023, MBTA Transit police were notified of a person struck by a Green Line trolley on the eastbound Lechmere platform at North station. Video footage shows the victim, a 30-year-old male, approach a Green Line trolley at approximately 12:18 a.m. and kick the side of the trolley with his right foot. After kicking the trolley while it was in motion, the victim lost his balance, spun around and fell. As he fell, the victim was struck by the front right corner and front door of a trailing trolley. The victim’s shirt was caught alongside the trailing trolley, and the victim was subsequently dragged for approximately 200 feet before coming to rest in the eastbound tunnel.
A further review of video surveillance showed an unknown male, later identified as Polanco, pick up an unidentified object from the yellow warning surface of the platform and place the item in the left side pocket of his shorts. Polanco appeared to look around while he secured the item in his pocket. The item was later determined to be a gold chain necklace that the victim was seen wearing on video before being struck.
“I hope this victim’s family can derive some solace from the jury’s verdict regarding this defendant’s actions, which injected additional sorrow into an already tragic situation,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications