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5-31-2023 12:38am
Police Log: Assisting Norwood Police with Arrest Leads to Further Drug Possession Charges
Darlene Cancell
Editor
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.
Saturday, May 27th
Money Stolen from Store Safe
11:13 a.m. An employee of the GNC store on University Avenue reported that the store’s safe had been emptied of money. About $400 was stored there overnight, but sometime after opening the store at 9:30 a.m., the money was discovered to be missing. Also missing were two bank deposit bags holding $368.03. A total of $778.03 was missing. Police did not find any signs of forced entry.
Unemployment Benefits Fraud
4:13 p.m. A Westwood resident told police that someone had fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits under the resident’s name. On a previous day, the resident had received a Varo card in the mail, which is related to an online banking program.
Police informed the resident that online banks are frequently used to obtain funds in unemployment benefits schemes. Police advised the resident to report the incident to credit reporting agencies and the resident’s banks. The resident had already filed a fraud report online with the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (MA DUA).
Friday, May 26th
Unemployment Benefits Fraud Again
1:37 p.m. A resident of Ellis Street reported being the victim of identity theft in an unemployment benefits scam. Upon applying for unemployment benefits, she was told that she was ineligible because benefits were already being paid on a claim filed two weeks earlier.
The MA DUA advised the resident to file a police report, notify her banks and credit reporting agencies and to put a fraud alert on her credit report. Police also advised her to contact her employer’s Human Resources department.
Soliciting without a Permit
6:41 p.m. A resident of Weatherbee Drive reported that a person was going door-to-door, attempting to sell solar panels without displaying a solicitor’s permit. An officer quickly located the salesperson, who informed the officer that his employer, Sun Run, had been contracted by Eversource throughout Massachusetts as a vendor.
In checking the man’s identification, the officer learned he had a warrant out for his arrest for failure to appear on motor vehicle offenses. The man was arrested, held on $190 cash bail, and released after making bail at 8:45 p.m. Two colleagues of the man, also appearing to be solicitors in the area, were sent on their way.
Thursday, May 25th
Suspicious Activity Involving Amazon Delivery Trucks
5:53 p.m. Police responded to a home on Pheasant Hill Street on a report of suspicious activity. A resident told police that after hearing loud banging from the adjacent home, a male in Amazon delivery uniform was seen running down the street. A second male, also in Amazon delivery uniform, got into a van marked as “Amazon” and drove away. The first male got into a white van, which possibly had an Amazon logo on it, as well.
Another neighbor recorded the license plate of one van, which police confirmed was an Amazon fulfillment truck. Police contacted the Amazon fulfillment center in Norwood, but management informed police that the van was not operating out of that facility.
Police informed residents of the adjacent home what had transpired. Upon checking the exterior of the home in question, no signs of tampering were found. This case is under investigation.
Shoplifting for Beer and Snacks
6:47 p.m. Police responded to a report of shoplifting at Wegmans. Store security had stopped two males for leaving the store with merchandise without paying. Wegmans staff informed police that the two had placed multiple cases of beer and snack food in a shopping cart, then bypassed the registers with the cart and left the store. Upon being stopped by security outside, the two males accompanied security to the store office.
After claiming to have no identification, the two young men each provided their name and address with a false date of birth. They were determined to be 17 year-olds from Walpole. They will face charges of shoplifting in juvenile court and will also be charged for being minors in possession of alcohol. Additionally, Wegmans has issued a trespass notice that they are not allowed in the store for two years.
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Wednesday, May 24th
Paving Truck Slides into Resident's SUV
3:54 p.m. Police took a report of a collision when a 2019 International truck owned by a paving company from Providence, Rhode Island, rolled into a parked 2006 Toyota SUV on Fearing Drive. The paving company was performing a job on the street. The truck’s operator left the vehicle when it was parked in neutral, and the truck rolled into a resident’s Toyota SUV.
The resident’s SUV appears to have been struck head-on at a 30 degree angle, and was pushed about 30 feet, resulting in severe damage. Its front-end was crushed and there was damage to its right side. The SUV was towed from the scene. There were no injuries reported.
Tuesday, May 23rd
Assisting Norwood Police with Arrest Leads to Further Drug Possession Charges
11:37 a.m. A Westwood Police detective sergeant responded to a call for assistance by Norwood Police who sought to make a traffic stop and arrest in the vicinity of Dunkin’ on Washington Street in Westwood. The driver of the vehicle had a warrant for her arrest for trafficking methamphetamine.
While assisting the arrest, the Westwood Police detective sergeant discovered subsequent narcotics related violations. As a result, 47 year-old Mary Bonomo-Reale was arrested by Norwood for trafficking in methamphetamine under the warrant, and will also face charges being prepared by Westwood Police.
Ms. Bonomo-Reale will be charged with possession with intent to distribute Class A fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute Class B methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute Class B amphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute Class C diazepam.
Suspicious Mail
3:20 p.m. A resident of Rock Meadow Road reported receiving three letters addressed to a person, unknown to the resident, at the resident’s address. The investigating officer tracked down the named individual, a male who lives in Uxbridge at the same street address, excepting the town. The mail appears to be the result of clerical error rather than a case of identity theft.
Monday, May 22nd
Trespassing with a Rock and Cinder Blocks
10:19 a.m. A resident of Gloucester Road reported that someone had placed a rock and two cinder blocks over a stone wall, onto the complainant’s property. The resident told police that the stone wall was a topic of dispute between the two abutting properties. The complainant asked that the incident be documented.
Fraudulent Attempt to Change Resident's Address
1:37 p.m. A resident of Longwood Drive reported that someone had attempted to change his address at his credit union. It appeared that his driver’s license had also been compromised. The new address was in South Easton, Massachusetts. The resident informed his credit union of the fraud, and has put a watch on all of his accounts.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and Westwood Police for contributing information for this article.
