Cambridge man has busy night, police say: Breaks into sub shop, crashes into police cruiser, sets building on fire

UPDATE: Add a charge of receiving stolen property over $250: Police say the U-Haul was stolen.

A Cambridge man with a record as a terrible driver faces numerous charges after he allegedly led police on a two-town trail of destruction overnight, Saugus Police report.

According to police, Robert Silvia, 50, broke into Santoro's Sub-Villa, 259 Essex St. in Saugus around 3 a.m., not long after an officer on routine patrol had noticed a U-Haul truck parked outside. Alerted by an alarm from the shop, responding officers found the shop's front doors smashed and the U-Haul gone.

Shortly thereafter, police observed the U-Haul exit off Route 1 onto Walnut Street. Officers then conducted a motor vehicle stop on the U-Haul, but as they were getting out of their cruisers to investigate, the operator of the U-Haul took off at a high rate of speed.

Saugus Police attempted to stop the U-Haul, but when the driver failed to stop, a pursuit ensued. The U-Haul traveled from Lynn, then back into Saugus. As it was entering Revere on Route 107, the U-Haul struck a Revere police cruiser, and then crashed into Gulino's Auto Body, 1062 Broadway.

Police rushed into the building and found and arrested Silvia - just as Revere firefighters were pulling up to put out the fire that started when the U-Haul caught fire inside the building after the crash - and set the building on fire as well.

Police add the Revere officer was not injured because he had gotten out of his cruiser when it was hit.

Silvia faces arraignment tomorrow on charges of breaking and entering in the nighttime, attempted larceny from a building, failure to stop for police, negligent operation, operating a motor vehicle after having his license revoked as a habitual traffic offender, speeding, marked lanes violation, running a red light and running a stop sign, police say.

Police add they are investigating whether Silvia is also responsible for another break-in at a business near the sub shop.
Innocent, etc.