Officers from C-11 have arrested a man from Virginia who they believe was involved in a rash of commercial breaks stretching from December through January that targeted businesses and ATMs.

Derek Ford, 39, was picked up on the afternoon of Jan. 14 on Thelma Road on allegations that he played a part in at least six break-ins at business sites, money thefts from cash registers, and attempts to steal from ATMs.

Capt. Steven Sweeney and Sgt. Tim Golden relayed the details at community meetings in Dorchester over the past week, after having mentioned the burglaries last month prior to the arrest.

In the midst of investigating the incidents, detectives noticed a vehicle on Thelma Road that had been seen in surveillance video and inquired about the suspect to the Probation Department. The officers were told that Ford had recently transferred his probation from Virginia to Massachusetts and had been a breaking-and-entering suspect in Virginia.

Detectives believe that Ford was involved in the following six crimes:
•Dec. 1, at Yaz’s Place, 9 Stoughton St. A break-in, with money taken from an ATM and a cash register.
•On Dec. 5, a 3 a.m. break-in at Upali Convenience on Neponset Ave. targeting an ATM.
•On Dec. 8, attempted larceny from the ATM machine in Florian Hall on Hallet Street.
•On Dec. 28, a break-in and cash stolen from a register at Sweet Sip Café at 282 Adams St.
•On Jan. 5, a break-in at the Pizza 24 Shop (301 Adams St.) and attempted larceny from an empty cash register.
•On Jan. 5, an overnight burglary at Shawarma Shop at 251 Bowdoin St., where money was taken from a cash register.

“We haven’t had anything close to that since,” said Sweeney.