Salem Theft Suspects Captured After Lengthy Police Standoff

A man and woman suspected of car thefts in Salem in addition to a variety of other offenses were arraigned Wednesday in connection to an hours-long standoff with police in Hampton Falls.

Daren Gragg, 37, and Melissa Amato, 31, both of 24 Lafayette Road, Apt. 7, in Hampton Falls, will soon be charged in connection to numerous of thefts in jurisdictions across southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, according to the Amesbury Police Department.

Gragg and Amato allegedly left behind dozens of stolen items in Amesbury before fleeing to their Hampton Falls apartment, breaking into their neighbor's home and barricading themselves inside for hours.

The couple surrendered to police at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday and were arrested on one count each of felony burglary and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

During their arraignments Wednesday morning, details were released about their confirmed involvement in ID, credit card and personal property thefts from cars in the New Hampshire communities of Salem, Hampton, Seabrook, and Portsmouth, and in the Massachusetts communities of Methuen and Amesbury.

Amesbury police have said they will continue their investigation into the thefts before issuing formal charges. Investigators believe there could be dozens of other similar theft cases involving Gragg and Amato.

Prosecutors have also told Patch that Gragg — also known as "Daniel Dato" — and Amato — also known as "Kelley Dato" — both have numerous active arrest warrants for dozens of charges, and they are expected to soon be booked on those charges as well.

Gragg allegedly has seven active arrest warrants, including a December 2011 warrant for fraud and impersonating a police officer in Manchester, a December 2011 warrant for impersonating a police officer and obtaining a controlled drug using a false name in Derry, a February 2012 warrant for obtaining a controlled drug using a false name in Keene, a Londonderry warrant for impersonating a police officer, a New Hampshire State Police warrant for obtaining a controlled drug using a false name, an electronic bench warrant for failing to appear in court on a driver's license prohibition charge, and a fraud warrant out of Manchester.

Amato allegedly has four active arrest warrants, including a December 2011 warrant for three counts of forging prescriptions at the Hudson Walmart, a December 2011 warrant for two counts of obtaining a controlled drug using a false name in Derry, a warrant for failing to appear in court on Department of Motor Vehicles charges, and a New Hampshire State Police warrant for fraud.

Gragg and Amato are both being held at the Rockingham County House of Corrections on $110,000 cash bail. Both are scheduled for separate probable cause hearings at 11 a.m. on Jan. 29.

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