Residents and business owners are concerned with the possible patrolling of a man who has repeatedly broken into Charles Street businesses, says Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) President Colin Zick.

“I think there is a lot of concern both from the Charles Street merchants and the residents.”

Zick said that BHCA first learned that James Lynn Schaff, who was arrested in February of this year for breaking and entering several businesses along Charles Street, would be paroled on or after October 16 through a letter sent to a Charles Street business owner who had put themselves on a victims list for the case.

On October 15, Zick sent an email on behalf of BHCA to assistant district attorney Emery Donatelle requesting a copy of his parole conditions, as well as information on the vote of the parole board. As of October 21, that email has not been responded to.

“We’re reliant on either the district attorney’s office or the police department. We don’t seem to be able to get information from the parole office. Given his history, it would seem that any and all of those organizations sharing that information with the neighborhood would be appropriate.”

Police apprehended Schaff in February responding to reports of a breaking and entering at 103 Charles Street, according to a news release. While at the scene, a second call came in reporting an alarm being tripped at another nearby business. While officers found broken glass and brick on the steps, the suspect had fled. Ultimately, Schaff was found nearby inside a third business with several stolen jewelry items in his possession.

According to a report from The Boston Globe, Schaff was charged for similar break-ins at 51 Charles Street in May and at 60 Charles Street in August 2023.

In an email exchange with The Boston Guardian on October 8, Tina Nguyen, spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, said that Schaff pleaded guilty to two of his three pending cases in July, receiving two years, with 18 months to serve and 111 days credit. As a part of the plea agreement, the case was dismissed, and he would not have received any additional time on those charges.

Nguyen said the office has no official role in the parole process, adding that the supposed parole day doesn’t seem correct given the sentence he received, but could not confirm whether there was or was not a parole hearing.

Zick said that BHCA would continue to work to get information that impacts the neighborhood, which includes new information on Schaff.