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Image by Westwood Minute/Darlene Wong Cancell.
5-09-2023 11:30pm
Police Log: Credit Card Fraud of $100K, Report of Bullying, Bumps in the Night (UPDATED)
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Editor's note: The story, "Collision Results in Car Rolling Down Embankment," has been added to entries for May 6th, and was added following a reader tip. Thanks to that reader for sharing.
The police log that I review contains minimal information for hundreds of entries each week, from which I can only make my best guess as to which ones I should ask about for more details for writing an article. It's inevitable that I'll miss something worth reporting, from time to time.
If you see/hear something around town that might deserve a follow-up, feel free to send me a tip. You can also most quickly report the incident yourself by posting a news alert. Email any tips and questions to WestwoodInAMinute@gmail.com.
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The news described in Westwood Minute's weekly Police Log article series 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.
Sunday, May 7th
Loss of $100,000 Results from Theft from Gym Locker
12:55 p.m. A Medfield resident reported personal items stolen from his gym locker at Life Time Fitness two days prior. On May 5th around 3 p.m., he placed his wallet and iPhone in a Life Time Fitness locker and locked it. The complainant reported to police that a young man in his twenties with short, dark hair may have seen him enter his code on the locker.
After working out, the Medfield resident returned to his locker and discovered that two credit cards along with the SIM card from his iPhone were missing. He also later learned that approximately $100,000 had been charged to his two credit cards. The purchases were made in Massachusetts, New York, and possibly a Cartier jewelry store.
Police advised the complainant to contact at least one credit reporting company and his bank, and to obtain a PIN for tax filing purposes.
Disabled Vehicle Towed
3:45 p.m. A caller reported that a vehicle with body damage had been parked in the area of Westfield and Wilsondale streets for several days. Police learned that the vehicle belonged to a Westwood resident in an abutting neighborhood. The resident had on a previous day informed police that the car, belonging to the resident’s son, was disabled and would be removed later that day. As the vehicle had still not been removed, police informed the owner of the car that a tow truck was on the way.
Unfriendly Incident
7:38 p.m. An officer responded to a call at Gables University Station apartments where a woman from Worcester informed the officer of an unfriendly incident with another woman. The complainant told police that she was in the parking lot 30 minutes earlier when another woman approached her, tapped her back, and asked her to lower the volume of the music from her vehicle. The Worcester woman admitted that the music was loud and turned down the volume.
However, the other woman allegedly reached into the car to further turn down the music. When the Worcester woman began recording the incident, the other woman walked away.
Police viewed the video which showed the two women cursing at each other. No further action appears to have been taken as the video did not show the other woman entering the car.
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Saturday, May 6th
Collision Results in Car Rolling Down Embankment
10:38 a.m. An accident occurred at the intersection of Summer and High streets, involving a GMC pickup truck towing a landscaping trailer and a 2010 Nissan sedan, resulting in the Nissan going off the road and rolling down a wooded embankment.
The two vehicles were stopped on Summer Street at a red light. When the light turned green, both vehicles turned left, into the northbound lane of High Street, toward Dedham. The pickup with trailer began to merge into the right lane of High Street. The driver, a man from Natick with one passenger, reported not seeing the Nissan in the right lane.
The Nissan, driven by a man from Hyde Park, struck the trailer, and continued forward side-swiping the length of the truck and trailer. The Nissan then went over the curb on the right shoulder, and rolled down the wooded embankment.
The Nissan received significant damage, but no injuries were reported. A tow company used a large tow truck with crane to extract the Nissan from the woods.
Assisting a Citizen with a Ride
10:38 p.m. A caller reported that a vehicle had been idling for the past 1.5 hours at the intersection of Oak Street and Martha Jones Road. An officer responded. The officer provided the occupant with a courtesy ride to a Norwood residence.
Friday, May 5th
Uncommon Sighting
12:44 p.m. A complainant reported seeing a man wearing a long, black trench coat and beaded necklace walking down the middle of Summer Street.
Unemployment Fraud I
1:27 p.m. A resident of Gloucester Road complained of someone fraudulently applying for unemployment benefits using the resident’s personal information. The resident filed a notice of fraud with the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and opened an account with a credit reporting bureau to monitor the resident’s credit.
Thursday, May 4th
Teen Shoplifts from High Street Business
2:41 p.m. An officer responded to the Mobile gas station on High Street to take a report of a juvenile shoplifting from the gas station convenience store. The officer spoke to the manager and a teenaged girl. The girl admitted to taking a bag of Takis chips.
The manager gave the girl a verbal trespass. The teen indicated that she understood. The officer contacted the teen’s parents to inform them of the situation.
Wednesday, May 3rd
Bumps in the Night
3:53 a.m. A resident of Blue Hill Drive contacted police for assistance, believing there to be an unknown party in his home. He had locked himself in the bedroom to make the call.
Two police units responded. Officers were unable to find any other person inside the home. There was no sign of forced entry.
Unemployment Fraud II
12:10 p.m. A resident of Stanford Drive reported a case of unemployment benefits being fraudulently applied for using the resident’s personal information.
The resident is employed and did not file any unemployment claim. She learned about the fraudulent claim from her company’s human resources department which received a notice from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.
The resident has notified her bank and three credit card reporting bureaus. Police also suggested that she obtain a PIN from the Internal Revenue Service to protect her personal information when filing a tax return.
Fraudulent Application for Debit Card
5:28 p.m. A resident of Ford Place reported fraud where a person appeared to have applied for a debit card using a family member’s name. The resident received mail from Capital One with a debit card enclosed, and the name stamped on the card was a family member’s.
The family member denied having any business with Capital One. The family member contacted Capital One to inform the company of the fraudulent application.
Police recorded the card number and destroyed the card. The resident was advised to alert the family’s banks and credit card companies to the incident to guard against further activity.
Harassment from Former Employee
6:22 p.m. A Dedham resident who owns a company in Westwood’s Southwest Park complained of harassment from a former employee. The complainant reported that the individual had worked for the company for three weeks, with spotty attendance, before she was terminated. The former employee then left a voicemail for the owner, which although not threatening, was uncouth.
Police suggested that the business owner send a trespass notice to the former employee. Police also contacted the former employee to inform her that she would be receiving the notice.
Tuesday, May 2nd
Bullying Reported
6:07 p.m. Police responded to Gables University Station apartments to speak with a resident about the resident’s young son who is experiencing some bullying issues. The child is receiving harassing calls to his cell phone. Police documented the bullying. The information has been passed to the school resource officer.
Monday, May 1st
Smell Blamed for Strange Physical Maladies
12:10 p.m. A Lexington resident reported damage to personal property kept in public storage at a facility near the East Street rotary. The man alleged that a large quantity of his belongings had been affected by the strong odor of mildew in his storage unit. He also claimed to have physical maladies from the mildew exposure, including a strange rash and bleeding from the nose and throat. The man was expected to forward photos, but has so far been unsuccessful in doing so.
Assault from a Shoplifting
3:35 p.m. An officer took a report of a shoplifting that occurred at University Station’s Ulta Beauty. Police learned that two women had entered the store, filled a basket with women's and men’s fragrances, and exited the store.
Before exiting, however, one of them, a slender woman with a long, black braid and nose piercing, shoved a store employee who was standing near the door. The other woman was of medium build and wore a mask. Both women are estimated to be in their early to mid-twenties. They entered a silver Hyundai IONIQ with unknown plates and left. The general manager estimates that they took $8,614 in fragrances.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and the Westwood Police Department for contributing information for this article.
Updated 5/11/2023.
