Police Log: Phishing Scheme via Lookalike Amazon Web Page, Repeat Shoplifter Arrested

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.

Monday, July 11th

Theft at PetSmart

12:02 p.m. Police responded to PetSmart at University Station to take a report of a shoplifting. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with a manager who relayed that a customer had reported seeing a man in his mid-twenties, 5’8” tall, with dirty blond hair, placing items in a bag before leaving the store without paying. The manager was able to confirm that a plush dog toy was taken. The officer walked through the store with the manager to review inventory. No additional items were deemed missing.

Opportunity makes a thief

1:38 p.m. A resident of Milton walked into the police station to notify police of the theft of her Coach brand wristlet when she was in Wegmans the previous day. She arrived at the store around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 10th, and placed her wristlet under some bags in her shopping cart. After about 45 minutes, she briefly stepped away from her shopping cart. It was the only time that her cart was left unattended. It is assumed that the wristlet went missing during this time. The wristlet contained identification, credit and debit cards and $20 cash. The store manager will review store security video upon receipt of a police report.

Child’s bike rams van

3:37 p.m. A man from North Smithfield, Rhode Island told police that he was traveling east on Westwood's Beechnut Road in a 2016 Honda van when he observed an 8 year-old boy approaching on a bicycle from Robin Road. The driver told police that he stopped the van, because it appeared to him that the child was not fully in control of the bike. The bike and boy ran into the right front quarter of the van.

Out of an abundance of caution, Westwood Fire Paramedics arrived to assess the boy’s condition. His mother was present, and he declined medical treatment. The boy, a Westwood resident, gave a statement to police in which he took responsibility for crashing into the stopped van. No damage occurred to the van.

Facebook blackmailer

6:25 p.m. A resident of Green Hill Road asked police to keep a record of the fact that he was contacted by an anonymous party on Facebook who attempted to blackmail him. The anonymous person demanded that two payments of $500 each should be made. The resident indicated to the person that he did not have that money. He will take steps to secure his Facebook account from additional such contacts. The consequence of not paying the blackmail was not reported to police.

Tuesday, July 12th

Teen rides stolen moped with a stun gun

5:57 p.m. A police officer conducting stationary traffic enforcement on Washington Street observed a silver moped with two riders going through a red light. Upon making the traffic stop and requesting the operator’s license and registration, the officer learned that the driver and his passenger were both 15 years-old. The driver was from Brockton, and his passenger was from Norwood. Neither had a license and the moped was unregistered.

A check of the Vehicle Identification Number resulted showed that the moped was stolen out of Lynn, Massachusetts, two months ago. The officer also discovered the driver of the moped was in possession of a stun gun.

Police issued a citation to the driver for failing to stop at a red light, unlicensed operation of the moped, unregistered moped and unlawful possession of a stun gun. Additionally, he will be summoned to court for receiving the moped, a 2021 model from Amigo Motorsports valued at $1,268.98, as stolen property.

Police took possession of both moped and taser. Police will attempt to return the moped to its rightful owner.

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Wednesday, July 13th

Repeat shoplifter arrested at Wegmans

5:40 p.m. Police officers were dispatched to Wegmans on the report of a possible shoplifting in progress. En route to the store, the officers learned from asset protection personnel that the individual who was in the store was likely the same individual who was suspected shoplifting from the store on July 9 and July 12.

Upon arriving at Wegmans, an officer viewed the security recording. It seemed to show the same subject who was involved in the July 9, 2022 shoplifting report. The individual exited without paying. A second officer waiting outside the store intercepted him. He was arrested for shoplifting and transported to the police station. The man admitted to shoplifting on July 9 as well.

In the course of booking, he was discovered to have a default warrant out of Quincy District Court for various traffic offenses.

Police recovered stolen items from his car from previous shoplifting incidents. The estimated total value of items, presumably collected from three different shoplifting incidents, was $1800. 

The bail commissioner ordered that the subject be held without bail. At 8:30 p.m., police transported the 53 year-old man from Dorchester to the Norfolk County Jail and House of Correction in Dedham to await arraignment for various offenses.

Friday, July 15th

Fraud follows three hour phone call

11:07 a.m. A resident walked into the police station to report receiving a possibly fraudulent phone call. The previous day, someone named “Ethan Smith from Apple Security” contacted her. The resident was able to provide police with the caller’s phone number. It had a New Jersey area code.

The resident had been on the phone for about three hours with "Ethan Smith," speaking about a technical issue with her phone. Following that call, she received notice from two separate banks that suspected potential fraud on her accounts. Someone had attempted a wire transfer of $30 from one bank and another transfer of $300 from another bank. The transaction involved Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. 

The resident’s banks declined the two wire transfers, so there was no loss. The resident closed her accounts and reopened them. She was advised to use two-factor authentication and to notify her credit reporting agencies.

Suspicious activity while getting gas

1:48 p.m. A resident reported suspicious activity involving an employee at a gas station on High Street. The complainant believed the attendant had tried to take a photo of her license plate and credit card. She cancelled her credit card. Police are investigating.

Phishing with lookalike Amazon page

2:57 p.m. A resident reported possible identity theft. The resident noted that a week ago, she received a fraudulent text notice, supposedly from Amazon. She had purchased an item from Amazon, as she had many times before. Two days after that purchase, she received the text. It purportedly was from Amazon regarding a case of fraud on her account. It provided a website link to click on to seek protection from fraud. 

The complainant followed the link to a lookalike Amazon webpage. Amazon confirmed that it was a fake page. 

The woman provided notice of the incident to her credit reporting bureaus. She cancelled all of her cards and will have them reissued.

Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and the Westwood Police Department for contributing information for this article.

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