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Image by Westwood Minute/Darlene Wong Cancell.
9-18-2023 9:45pm
Police Log: Cryptocurrency Site Locks Up Resident's Investment of Million(s), Shoplifting $10K in Fragrances, and More Stories
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.
Monday, September 18th
Scrap Metal Thieves
9:53 a.m. An officer responded to the Acura dealership on Providence Highway to meet with a manager who reported theft of scrap metal worth about $1,000. The manager showed police video from around 10:50 p.m. the previous night. In the video, a white Chevrolet or GMC single cab pickup pulled into the lot, and backed up to a scrap metal bin, located at the rear of the dealership. Two males exited the truck and loaded scrap metal into the truck bed. After about five minutes, the suspects left.
Sunday, September 17th
One Thing Leads to Another
1:03 p.m. An officer observed a white, Audi sedan speeding at 50 m.p.h. on Washington Street where the posted speed limit is 35 m.p.h. The officer initiated a traffic stop near the corner of Waldo Way.
The driver had a suspended license and a number of warrants for his arrest. He claimed be unaware of his suspended license status. Westwood Police made the arrest on the two outstanding warrants. The man also received a citation for operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license and for speeding. He was released on bail set at $294.
Saturday, September 16th
Complaint about Noisy Donuts
9:30 p.m. Police received a call that a large number of people were gathered in the parking lot adjacent to Gables University Station apartments, playing loud music, and doing donuts. When police arrived minutes later, the group had already dispersed. Tire marks were observed in the roadway.
Friday, September 15th
Deer Strike Damages Vehicle
11:09 p.m. An officer was dispatched to Draper Avenue where a motorist told the officer that he had just struck a deer. The motorist indicated that around 11:00 p.m., he was driving on Gay Street toward High Street. In the area of Thatcher and Fox Hill streets, a deer ran out of the woods and into the driver’s side of the vehicle. It then ran away. The driver was uninjured.
The officer examined the vehicle. The side mirror was hanging by a wire. There were large dents in the rear and side areas. The deer was not found.
Thursday, September 14th
Unemployment Fraud, Second Time Around
12:49 p.m. A resident of Olde Carriage Road reported a case of unemployment fraud. It was his second time being the victim of such fraud.
The resident told police that three years ago, someone had applied for unemployment benefits in his name. This year, the resident filed a legitimate unemployment benefits claim, but once again discovered again that someone had already filed a claim in his name.
Police advised him to report the fraud to the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, credit reporting agencies, and his banks. Police also advised him to contact the U.S. Social Security Administration, as his social security number may have been compromised.
Whose Fault?
5:33 p.m. At the intersection of Hartford and High Rock streets, a 2012 BMW driven by a resident of Chestnut Hill struck a 2014 Volkswagen driven by a woman from Westwood. The collision impacted the rear, passenger side of Volkswagen. It caused the Volkswagen, which was traveling east on Hartford Street, to spin 90 degrees, so that the Volkswagen faced west.
Airbags deployed on both vehicles. Neither driver complained of any injury. Both vehicles had to be towed.
Both drivers claimed to have stopped at the intersection before proceeding. Each disputed the other’s right of way.
Wednesday, September 13th
Shoplifters Leave with Basketful of Fragrances Worth Almost $10,000
7:37 p.m. The manager of Ulta Beauty told police that three females had walked out of the store with a basket full of fragrances, without paying. The fragrances retail for a total of $9,880. Adding in the value of the security sensors that were attached to the fragrances, the store’s total loss from the theft was $10,512.
Store video showed the three suspects. One wore a tan shirt and jeans. Another wore a black top and purple shorts. The third wore a black top and pants. They left the area in a small, red car. Police traced the license plate number to a vehicle registered to a business in Rhode Island. This case is under investigation.
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Tuesday, September 12th
Convenience Store Manager Asks for Restitution Instead of Criminal Charges
12:10 p.m. The manager of the Seasons gas station store on Route 1 informed police that an employee was caught on video taking lottery scratch tickets without paying. Police contacted the employee, a 19 year-old female from Randolph. She admitted to the theft.
The manager allowed the employee to provide restitution by paying for tickets, worth $150, a few days later at Westwood Police Station. Police presented the cash to the manager. The employee was terminated and given a trespass warning.
Lost Dog Reunited with Owner
3:57 p.m. A resident of Marshall Street called to report that a German Shepherd dog had wandered into her yard. An officer picked up the dog and placed it in a kennel in the police station while investigating ownership.
The dog was microchipped, and registered to a man in Newton. However, the Newton man stated that he was a former owner. He did not know who the current owner is.
Police sent out notice of the lost dog to social media. By 4:42 p.m. the current owner, a man residing on Washington Street in Westwood, was located. The dog and owner were reunited.
Identity Theft to Obtain a Passport
8:16 p.m. A resident of Washington Street reported suspicions that a family member had used her identity to obtain a passport for someone else. Six months ago, she applied for a passport at the Brockton Post Office, where a postal employee informed her that a passport had already been issued in her name. The employee showed the complainant a photo on the already-issued passport, which was of a much younger woman.
The resident stated that she had never received a passport before. She informed a family member of the incident. The family member reportedly advised her that the situation was handled, and that resident should tell people that the photo of the younger woman was a photo of herself.
Police documented the complaint and advised the resident to contact the U.S. Department of State to report the fraud.
Monday, September 11th
Vandals Overturn Portable Toilet at Sheehan Field
11:14 a.m. The security director for Westwood Public Schools informed a school resource officer of acts of vandalism at the Sheehan School. At 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning, September 9th, tables on school grounds were found overturned, and a plant and portable toilet on the Sheehan field were tipped over. The security director provided video footage of a vehicle in the Sheehan School parking lot around 11:00 p.m. on Friday evening, and a video of two people on school grounds at 2:00 a.m.
Slow to Make Amends for Damaged Mailbox
4:38 p.m. A resident of Hemlock Drive informed police that on August 31st, the resident’s Ring doorbell camera captured video footage that showed a Clean Portable Restroom (CPR) truck striking the resident’s mailbox. About 30 minutes after the incident, a CPR employee came to the home to tell the resident that the mailbox would be repaired. After almost two weeks, no repair had been made and the complainant reported that CPR was no longer communicating with the resident. The damage is estimated at $1,100.
Resident Complains of Investment in Low Millions of Dollars is Locked Up in Cryptocurrency
7:55 p.m. A resident of Currier Lane reported identity theft after corresponding with someone named “Lucy” on the dating app, Bumble. Lucy reportedly introduced the complainant to a cryptocurrency investment website.
The resident told police that over a period of three months, the resident deposited an amount totaling in the low millions of dollars to an account on the site. The resident’s suspicions arose when any attempt to withdraw the deposited money was unsuccessful. A customer support message would state that a tax must be paid, and an additional deposit of $50,000 must be made, before withdrawal was possible.
“Westwood Police would like to advise residents that investment advice, especially involving Bitcoin, that is received from an unknown individual over the internet, is generally a very bad investment,” states Lt. Sheehy. This case is under investigation.
Lost Cat
5:12 p.m. A resident of Pond Street reported losing a black and grey male cat.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and Westwood Police for contributing information for this article.
