Fire displaces residents ahead of holidays

An early-morning fire Dec. 18 at 72 Princess Ave. sent two people to the hospital, and displaced a number of residents.

The blaze broke out shortly before 2 a.m. One firefighter and one resident were hurt, but their injuries were not life threatening.

The Red Cross was reportedly assisting those displaced by the fire.

Man convicted in child molestation case

A Providence man has been convicted on two-counts of first-degree child molestation in a case that stemmed from a Cranston investigation.

Markus Acevedo, 22, with a last known address of 187 Lenox Ave., was found guilty by a Providence County Superior Court jury last week, according to the office of Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin. The verdict followed a nine-day trial and nine hours of deliberations.

Prosecutors charged that Acevedo molested a nine-year-old girl in April 2011. According to Kilmartin, the victim reported the abuse to a therapist, who in turn notified the girls mother. The child was then taken to Hasbro Childrens Hospital for an investigation.

Cranston Detective Jean-Paul Slaughter led the investigation. Acevedos sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 16.

Police: Lock cars, homes overnight

Cranston police are reminding residents to lock their vehicles and homes overnight, and have posted video from a home security camera in a city neighborhood to reinforce the message.

The video, shared on the department’s Facebook page, at one point shows two men walking through the neighborhood and testing the handles of car doors to see if they are locked.

“It goes without saying, be proactive and keep your property and personal items safe,” reads a message accompanying the video. “Keep the doors to your car and house locked and make sure any items of value are either in your house or securely out of view. The acts you see in these videos are crimes of opportunity.”

Those who have been the victim of property crimes are asked to contact police at 401-942-2211. The department’s Office of Community Outreach can be contacted at 401-477-5127.