1-31-2024 12:47am

Police Log: Police Warn Suspect in Public Urination Case and Other Stories (UPDATED)

Darlene Cancell Editor

Image by Westwood Minute/Darlene Wong Cancell.

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, January 29th

SUV Found Atop Gay Street Stone Wall

3:13 a.m. Westwood Police received a call from the town’s Department of Public Works regarding a vehicle that was found atop a wall, at the corner of Gay and Thatcher streets. Police arrived to find a 2022 Volvo XC90, stuck on mud and rocks and on top of the low stone wall on Gay Street, across from Thatcher Street. The SUV was unoccupied. Snow and slush were noted in the road. Police determined the registered owner to be a Westwood resident and attempted to contact him by phone and in-person at his address. Attempts at contact were unsuccessful. Police left a voicemail and will mail the man a citation for a marked lanes violation.

Disturbance at a Playground

8:48 p.m. Police received a report of loud music and screaming at the School Street playground. An officer responded and found a group of young people there. They were sent along their way.

Saturday, January 27th

Identity Stolen to Open Credit Card Accounts

10:09 a.m. A resident of Weatherbee Drive reported several fraudulent attempts to open credit card accounts using the resident’s identity. The resident was aware of an attempt on January 3rd to open a TD Bank card under her name. Additionally, on January 12th, the resident received a Walmart credit card with a letter concerning approved funds for a card she had not applied for. On January 13th, she was informed of an attempt to open a US Bank account under her identity. To date, no monetary loss is known to have occurred. All fraudulently obtained cards were cancelled and the resident has put a freeze on her credit accounts.

Breaking Up a Party

10:51 p.m. An officer was dispatched to a home on Brookfield Road on the report of a loud party. On arrival, the officer saw evidence of drinking strewn in the street, and heard music and yelling from the rear of the residence. The officer found a party consisting of about 14 high school and college students. All attendees were picked up by a parent or guardian.

Thursday, January 25th

Identity Thief’s Unpaid Bill Triggers Collection Action against Westwood Resident

8:35 a.m. A resident of Birch Lane reported a case of identity theft upon receiving a collection notice for unpaid bills for cell phone service amounting to almost $1,500. The resident investigated and found a fraudulent account had been opened using his identity and a previous address that was several decades out of date. When the company could not locate him at the outdated address, it found him at his current Westwood address. The company requested a police report upon the resident’s contesting the cellular charges.

Injury from Rear-End Collision

5:48 p.m. A woman from Hyde Park was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham by Westwood Fire paramedics when she complained of a headache and neck pain after her 2021 Toyota was rear-ended. The trailing driver, a woman from Florida, was driving a 2022 Toyota, and pulled forward upon seeing an opening in traffic to join the East Street rotary from Canton Street. The woman from Florida failed to check on the 2021 Toyota that was stopped in front of her and rear-ended the vehicle when she pulled forward to merge.

Dispute Over Leash Law

4:13 p.m. An officer was dispatched to Lowell Woods on Sandy Valley Road to take a complaint from a resident regarding a dispute with a dog walker. The dispute concerned conformity with the Conservation Commission’s regulation for dog walking in Lowell Woods.

Motorist Throws Object, Breaks Another’s Windshield

10:25 p.m. A motorist reported that while driving in the area of Washington Street and Upland Road, another motorist threw an object at the complainant’s vehicle, breaking the windshield. Police determined that the incident occurred on Upland Road in Norwood, in the area of the driveway to the Moderna facility. Westwood Police referred the victim to Norwood Police.

Suspicious Architect

11:24 a.m. A Westwood resident who is developing a parcel of property on High Street reported possible fraud upon doing business with a man alleging to be an architect. The resident reported that while at the property site with a contractor, the two men were approached by an individual claiming to be an architect. A business agreement was made, and the alleged architect delivered plans to the resident.

However, the resident became suspicious upon noticing the absence of a licensing stamp on the plans. The alleged architect claimed to have a license to operate hydraulic machinery, but the resident found the hoist license suspicious with “discrepancies.” He ended contact with the professed architect. Police advised the resident of the option to send a no trespass letter by certified mail.

Wednesday, January 24th

Warning Issued to Man Suspected of Public Urination

3:37 p.m. An officer was dispatched to the area of Downey Street and Phillips Brook Road to attempt to locate a male who had previously been described as publicly urinating at various locations on Downey Street and abutting streets. The officer came upon a man residing several streets away, who stated he was out for a walk. The man denied having ever publicly relieved himself. The officer informed the man that if that statement were found to be untrue or if such action occurred in the future, it could subject him to an arrest. The man indicated that he understood.

Dog Walkers Take the Path of Avoidance

3:48 p.m. An officer was dispatched to Walker Road to investigate a report of an aggressive dog. While en route, the officer was flagged down by a woman walking what appeared to be a Doberman Pincher. She told the officer that her dog sniffed a mailbox, causing a resident of the property to come out and yell at the walker to leave. There was a heated exchange of words. The walker told police that she left with the dog, which had never charged or caused any harm to anyone. The officer noted the dog was calm on the leash.

The officer responded to the home, where the resident was leaving to walk her own dog. Upon seeing the other walker with the Doberman pincher, she fearfully went back inside, afraid that the dog might charge. The resident admitted to the officer that the Doberman had never charged in her experience, and had never bit anyone. The parties agreed to avoid one another.

Monday, January 22nd

One Thing Leads to Another

10:04 a.m. An officer observed a white, Honda Accord with a New Hampshire license plate passing by, in the area of Sexton Avenue and Pond Street, while straddling the fog line on the edge of the street. Upon making the traffic stop, the driver, a 40 year old man from Mattapan, was unable to provide vehicle registration. Additionally, the officer discovered that the driver had an active warrant out of West Roxbury District Court for violation of probation related to motor vehicle offenses that included driving under the influence. The officer arrested the man and additionally cited him with a marked lanes violation.

Illegal Dumping of Medical Waste

11:16 a.m. Police received a call reporting that medical waste had been dumped at a private dumpster near the Panda Express restaurant on University Avenue. Police arrived and located the party who was believed to have caused the offense. Video verification is forthcoming.

Store Video Alerts Staff to Shoplifting

5:15 p.m. Police received a report of a past larceny from Wegmans, which store staff reported occurred on January 1. From store video, staff observed a male and female entering the store. The female was seen putting store merchandise into her purse. The male made a purchase at the self-checkout counter, but the female walked past all points of purchase and met with the male to leave together. The reported loss is $271. A tentative identification has been made of the male. Westwood Police detectives are investigating further.

Custom Bike Stolen

8:46 p.m. A resident of Gables University Station apartments flagged down an officer who was driving through the shopping center’s parking lot. The resident told the officer that the resident’s custom Kona bike, valued at $1,500, was stolen from the bike storage area of the apartment building. The owner last saw the bike in November last year. When checking on the bike, it was missing.

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

Updated 1/31/2024 at 9:13 p.m. Additional information to the story, "Motorist Throws Object, Breaks Another’s Windshield," is that the incident happened within the jurisdiction of Norwood Police. That information has been added.