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7-05-2022 11:21pm
Police Log: Road Rage, Investment Scam, Shoplifter Investigated
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.
The news described in Westwood Minute's Police Log article is primarily based on selected information from the Westwood Police Department's daily log and information provided by Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and police staff. Occasionally, a few facts from other sources may be woven into these stories.
Tuesday, June 28th
Scam builds investor confidence with fake check
9:30 a.m. A resident of Westwood Glen Road reported being the victim of a fraud. The resident told police that a person, who claimed to represent the “Brewster Procurement Group,” promised that the resident would receive a large return on an investment of $100. Contact with this apparent investment broker was made through an app called, “Telegraph.”
The Brewster Procurement Group representative later contacted the resident to tell him that his $100 investment had yielded a $6,500 return. The resident received a check for $6,500. The broker informed the resident that a commission of $2,000 should be paid through Zelle, after which the resident could keep the balance of the $6,500.
The resident deposited the $6,500 check. The check cleared, which encouraged the resident to transfer $2,000 to the broker through Zelle. However, after clearing, the check was later found to be fraudulent. Therefore, the victim received no gain, but suffered a loss of $2,000.
Vehicle vandalized by an ex
12:53 p.m. Police responded to the parking lot outside of Wegmans to speak with a woman from Stoughton who reported vandalism to her vehicle. The complainant showed police that her 2021 Honda Civic had its tires slashed, resulting in four flat tires. It had also been “keyed” with multiple linear scratches going down the length of the vehicle on both sides.
The woman reported that earlier that morning, that she and an ex-boyfriend had an encounter in Wegmans. Afterwards, the ex-boyfriend left the store, angry. A couple of hours after that exchange, the woman returned to her car and found it damaged.
After this initial report, a detective was able to view video from Wegmans’ loss prevention office. As a result of that footage, the detective will seek to summon the ex-boyfriend to court for a charge of vandalism.
Walking off with stolen merchandise
1:43 p.m. Police received a report from Frugal Fannie’s of a repeat shoplifter who had returned to the store. Police viewed the store’s security footage. The footage showed a woman entering the store on June 5 and June 7. In each case, she was wearing a different set of shoes than what she was wearing when she exited the store. Video showed the woman entering with red flip flops and exiting wearing black and white shoes. Employees later found empty shoe boxes in the shoe department.
The same woman was spotted in the store on June 28. The store contacted police and a license plate was obtained by following her out of the store. The woman is under investigation.
Wednesday, June 29th
Road rage on Route 1
8:55 a.m. Police responded to Rainbow Square (also known as Lambert’s Plaza) on Providence Highway to take a report of a road rage incident. The complainant, a woman from Boston, told police that after she pulled out of the Dunkin’ parking lot into the southbound side of Route 1 and into the passing lane, a male driver of a black GMC pickup truck threw an object at her vehicle and sped away. The unknown object caused a quarter-sized dent in the right, rear door of her vehicle.
The complainant proceeded a little way south on Route 1, then made a U-turn into Lambert’s Plaza on the northbound side of Route 1, to call police. She provided a license plate number to police. However, police were unable to obtain further information from the plate, likely because it was an incorrect number.
Unauthorized withdrawal
2:24 p.m. A resident of Hampton Road walked into the police station to report that an unauthorized withdrawal of $17,487.60 had been made from her Bank of America savings account. Through an electronic transfer, someone had applied that amount to pay off the balance of a Sam’s Club Mastercard account at Synchrony Bank. Bank of America is investigating.
Thursday, June 30th
Multiple calls of a disturbance at CVS
4:33 p.m. Two police officers responded to CVS on Washington Street on multiple calls of a disturbance. When police entered the store, they encountered a woman who told them she had been riding a Lyft with a boyfriend, and they had argued in the vehicle. The woman asked to get out at CVS. Her boyfriend followed her into the store to continue arguing.
Police explained the right to a restraining order, which the woman declined. The store manager confirmed with police that the argument was only verbal, not physical. Police gave the woman a courtesy transport to her home in Norwood.
Police also encountered the boyfriend, who was walking into Norwood. After police interviewed the man, he was sent on his way.
Mailbox vandalized
5:05 p.m. Police were dispatched to a home on Willett Pond Drive to take a report of vandalism. The resident had been away from home until June 30. Upon returning, she found that her mailbox had been knocked off its post and the post was damaged.
Landscapers had worked on the property for several days in the homeowner’s absence. The resident will contact the landscapers and relay new information to the police.
Police mediate contractor dispute
8:03 p.m. Police responded to a home on Farm Lane to mediate a dispute between a homeowner and contractor over the construction of a retaining wall. The issue was over workmanship and whether a full, final payment should be made. The work had been contracted for a total cost of $5,000 of which $2,000 was left to be paid.
With police assistance, the two parties reached a settlement. The resident also put the contractor on trespass notice, informing the contractor in police presence that the contractor is no longer welcome at the address.
Monday, July 4th
Breaking and entering on Longmeadow Drive
2:40 p.m. A resident of Longmeadow Drive returned home to find it had been broken into. A police detective responded, along with police crime scene services. No further information is currently available.
Vandalism on Burgess Avenue
4:32 p.m. A resident of Burgess Avenue reported an instance of vandalism. The resident informed police that a large flowerpot had been overturned on the homeowner’s patio. Dirt that appeared to be from the pot was thrown into a pool approximately thirty feet away. The resident reported the minor damage and informed police that the resident would investigate installing a security camera.
One thing leads to another
7:56 p.m. An officer conducting stationary traffic enforcement at High Street and Lake Shore Drive observed a black vehicle moving at excessive speed in an eastbound direction on High Street. The officer clocked the black, Chevy Corvette at 60 m.p.h.
The officer made a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, the officer ran a check on the car’s license plate and learned that the car’s owner had a suspended driver’s license. The driver, a Roslindale man who was also the owner of the car, claimed to be unaware of this fact.
A relative who lives in Westwood was able to pick up the man’s vehicle to avoid having it towed. The man received a criminal citation for operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license and for speeding.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and the Westwood Police Department for contributing information for this article.
