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7-11-2023 11:04pm
3 Arrested in Separate Thefts from Same Church Donation Bin, Over Span of 2 Hours
Darlene Cancell
Editor
In less than two hours, from late night on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 to the early morning of Thursday, July 6th, Westwood Police made three arrests in two separate incidents of individuals stealing donations from the First Baptist Church of Westwood donation bin, located in the church's parking lot off of High Street.
The church’s parking lot, with donation bin, sits atop a long driveway that resembles a road leading uphill and away from High Street. While the donation bin is in plain view from the church parking lot, it is not viewable from High Street, potentially allowing thieves the luxury of time and perceived privacy in raiding the bin.
On Wednesday, July 5th, a staff member of First Baptist Church reported seeing on video surveillance a suspicious vehicle by the church’s donation bin. It resembled a vehicle believed to be involved in a theft from the bin on an earlier date.
Three police officers responded to the church parking lot. There, they found a man standing beside a blue Chrysler. Bags of clothing could be seen inside the man’s van. There were also bags of clothing on the ground beside the van.
The man, a 30 year-old from Brockton, reportedly told police that he had left his job in Boston and was dropping of clothing donations on the way home.
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An official from the church was contacted to determine if any bags of donations were currently missing from the donation bin. The church member, a resident of Westwood, arrived. After inspecting the bin, the church member told officers that the bags, now in disarray and strewn across the bin, appeared very different from how they had been left, organized, just several hours earlier. The church member also conveyed the belief to officers that the bin had been looted the previous night, and that a vehicle similar to the blue Chrysler was seen on the church security camera.
As police investigated, they discovered a second person hiding under the bags in the donation bin. The man claimed that he was homeless and sleeping in the donation bin. Police discovered that he had three active warrants for his arrest from Dedham and Brockton district courts. (The offenses were not specified in the police log.) The man was identified as 30 year-old Franklin Louro, the same individual whom Westwood Police had arrested about 9 months ago for theft from the very same donation bin. He is a resident of Norwood and Brockton.
Westwood Police placed both men under arrest. They were held without bail and transported to Dedham District Court on the following day. Charges included breaking and entering of a depository with intent to commit a felony in the nighttime.
Before the two arrestees made it to court on July 6th, however, police received another report of a suspicious vehicle at the First Baptist Church donation bin. The time was 1:19 a.m., around two hours after police had responded on the evening of July 5th.
A church staff member reported seeing an SUV parked at the church’s donation bin at the odd, early morning hour. It was reported to resemble a vehicle that is believed to have been involved in past thefts from the bin.
Returning to the church parking lot, one of the same responding officers from two hours prior found a black, Acura SUV parked next to the church donation bin.
The driver, a woman from Norton, reportedly told the officer that she had an upset stomach and likes to park in church lots because they are peaceful. Eventually, the woman reportedly admitted to the officer that she had entered the donation bin several days earlier and removed donated clothing.
The officer placed her under arrest. The 44 year-old woman was charged with breaking into a depository and larceny. She was released on bail at 4:15 a.m.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and Westwood Police for contributing information for this article.
