Inventor unbowed by truck theft

"Belleau's box truck was stolen on Saturday by a man police said was drunk. The thief smashed into six parked cars and damaged Belleau's equipment that was inside the truck.
Mark Lorenz / Staff Photographer"

I'm in the news! This time about my invention, and less about the truck theft. They even got some great pictures of the full length of the motorhome.

"Inventor unbowed by truck theft

By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
Staff Writer


SALEM — When a drunken New Hampshire man allegedly stole Michael Belleau's box truck and crashed into six parked cars and a tree Saturday night, his vehicle wasn't the only thing damaged.

Belleau, an inventor and self-proclaimed "maverick" in the spray foam industry, had his livelihood damaged, as well. Damaged, but not broken.

His equipment, valued at more than $25,000, was damaged in the crashes on Hazel Street, just down the street from Belleau's home.

"It couldn't have come at a worse time," Belleau said. "I'm trying to demonstrate to the foam industry how sharp and durable my system is so I can get the big guys to step up."

Belleau said he was home when police said Joshua Boulay, 24, of Tamworth, N.H., stole the truck while drunk. Police said he also threatened another man while rummaging through his truck.

Boulay was arrested and faces 18 charges, including drunken driving and receiving a stolen vehicle.

A judge denied Boulay bail at his arraignment on Monday, and he'll be in Salem District Court tomorrow for a dangerousness hearing.

Belleau said he didn't hear his truck start up on Saturday and that he's not one to lock his vehicle's doors.

Belleau is not letting the theft of his truck and his equipment's destruction stop him from his dream.

He still plans to drive his mobile home, which he dubs "The Mobile Castle," down to Orlando, Fla., this weekend for the 2010 Spray Foam Conference. The outside of his mobile home is sprayed with the foam using his patented "planers" that give the walls the stucco finish.

Belleau is nominated for an award at the conference.

"I don't want to sound cocky," he said, "but I'm going to win the award because no one else can do what I do."

He's been in the business for 32 years and got his start when he was 22 years old in Newfoundland, spraying foam to insulate fish holds on fishing boats.

While there, he developed handheld spray foam to be used in the building industry, as well. He later invented a handheld "planer" that allows him to spray the foam on walls. He got a patent for his invention and is now looking to license it through his company, Masterbond-SP.

While his foam-making equipment was damaged, his rotary planers were in his "mobile castle," which went untouched.

Belleau is waiting to hear from his insurance company about the loss. Regardless, he's trying to be optimistic.

"It's all about moving forward and being positive (about) anything that happens," he said. "

"This mobile home owned by Mike Belleau is coated with spray foam, applied to the outside like stucco on a house. Belleau holds the patent to use spray foam in this manner.
Mark Lorenz / Staff Photographer"

Copyright Salem News. Article published 2/11/10 and can be read online at: http://www.salemnews.com/archivesearch/local_story_042001106.html

When it Rains, it Pours and Pours

In a financial climate where jobs for my crew are fewer and fewer each day and I am already having financial troubles, the theft of my work truck, filled with my equipment, slows the nationwide launch of my technology even more. Saturday night, my work truck was stolen from in front of my home by a drunk burglar. It was then totaled as he drove it through the neighborhood smashing into 6 cars and finally a tree that busted the box of my truck open spilling my equipment into the street.

Pictured above is a picture taken by the Salem News of the damage done to my truck. In the red circle you can see my foam machine, my bread and butter, hanging out the opening in the side. It is only hanging there as luckily it was bolted to the side of the truck. We still don't know how severely damaged this equipment is as I have not been given access inside my truck as this case is in court and being assessed by insurance.

My spray foam truck is the bread and butter that supports my family of four and the families of four employees. It is also the bread and butter that supports Masterbond-SP and my efforts to share my energy efficient, green technology with the world. I had planned to drive my spray foam stucco motorhome to the Spray Foam trade show in Orlando this month. It still requires some finishing touches and a visit to the mechanic before I can take it on the road.

The theft of my work truck, my sole income generator, makes the likelyhood of me getting to the Spray Foam show, very slim to none. I want more than anything to share my technology with people so that they can provide a building construction service to their customers that will instantly give them 50% savings in energy costs. A wall system that will not only make their building more energy efficient, but also looks good and solves the moisture and mold issues that plague existing stucco systems.

I want to share with you the article that was published in the Salem News so you can fully grasp the gravity of the situation:

Police: Man steals box truck, hits six cars

By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
Staff Writer


SALEM — David Ruiz only stopped at his Geneva Street home Saturday night for a short moment, but it was enough time for an accused burglar to find his way inside Ruiz's car to rummage through his belongings.

What followed was even more brazen, as the two men fought in the street until the burglar, whom police have identified as Joshua S. Boulay, 24, of Tamworth, N.H., took off in a stolen box truck, barreling down crowded residential streets, striking parked cars along the way.

Police caught up with Boulay, and he now faces a total of 18 charges, from drunken driving to assault and battery. Boulay is being held without bail at the Salem police station until his arraignment today at Salem District Court.

Police were first called to the area at 9:55 p.m. for a report of a fight in the street.

Patrolman Deni Gaito learned from Ruiz that while home, he came back outside to find a man he didn't know inside his vehicle with his GPS.

A fight started, and Ruiz told police Boulay pulled out a 12-inch knife and threatened him. Ruiz responded in kind with a punch and dragged him to the street.

Boulay managed to get away, and with a description, police searched the area, police said.

About 20 minutes later, police received a report of a hit-and-run crash involving a box truck near Hazel Street and Ocean Avenue.

Gaito responded to the area and saw the box truck on Cabot Street coming toward his cruiser. Boulay struck six parked cars on Cabot and Gardner streets, police said.

Boulay then got out of the box truck on Gardner Street and fled on foot toward Lafayette Street, according to police. Officers later found Boulay walking down Lafayette Street. Gaito and Ruiz confirmed Boulay was the man they had dealt with earlier. Police found a 12-inch knife on Boulay.

Boulay is charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage (six counts), breaking and entering in the nighttime, assault with a dangerous weapon (a knife), drunken driving, disorderly conduct, driving while unlicensed, negligent driving, larceny of property, possession of burglary tools, assault and battery, failure to stop for police, malicious destruction of property, and receiving stolen property.

The article is also available on the Salem News website should you wish to leave a comment.

Photo copyright belongs to the Salem News and Photographer Christopher Padgett and was published February 8, 2010.