2-26-2024 11:07pm

Police Log: SUV Left Running and Unlocked is Stolen, and Other Stories

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.

This week, Westwood Minute will post two installments of this series. Below is a description of selected police activity reports from the period of February 19-26, 2024. Because the Police Log article was not published last week, the article covering police activities from February 12 -18, 2024 will be published sometime over the next few days.

Monday, February 26th

SUV Left Running and Unlocked is Stolen

4:43 a.m. An officer responded to Gables University Station apartments on University Avenue to take the report that a car had been stolen. An employee of the apartment complex told police that around 4:30 a.m., he went outside to warm up his silver Honda CR-V, and left it running and unlocked. When he went back outside a few minutes later, the vehicle was no longer there. Police conducted an area search but were unable to find the vehicle and entered the vehicle as stolen.

Tires Stolen Off Employee’s Parked Car

5:01 a.m. Police were dispatched to Wegmans supermarket on the report of tires being stolen. A man from Canton had arrived to work at Wegmans at 3:00 a.m. and parked his 2022 Honda Accord in the parking area between the grocery store and the Target store. Around 5:00 a.m., a co-worker informed the man that the tires and rims on his car had been taken. The vehicle was now sitting on cinder blocks and all tires were missing. The missing tires have an estimated value of $2,000.

Sunday, February 25th

Theft of Sunglasses, Wallet from Car in Driveway

6:00 p.m. A resident of Whitewood Road told police that on February 23rd around 6 p.m., the resident returned home from shopping, and parked in the driveway. The following afternoon around 2:30 p.m., as he looked for a personal item inside the vehicle, he discovered that three prescription sunglasses were missing. A wallet containing $10 cash and personal papers were also missing, along with a small bag of golf balls. The vehicle showed no sign of forced entry.

Saturday, February 24th

Hit-and-Run at Nahatan and Clapboardtree Streets

5:44 p.m. A resident of Westwood reported that she was involved in a hit and run at Clapboardtree and Nahatan streets. She told police that she was travelling north on Clapboardtree Street and a white Lexus failed to yield while merging from Nahatan Street. The Lexus cut in front of her own vehicle, sideswiping the front, left bumper of the complainant. The complainant was able to provide a license plate number of the Lexus to police. The driver of the Lexus was contacted, but denied responsibility and involvement in the crash.

Friday, February 23rd

In Early Morning, Vehicle Crashes into Guard Rail

3:58 a.m. Police responded to the area of 340 Providence Highway in Westwood, near the Seasons gas station and Jaguar car dealership, where a 2016 Ford was found, after having struck a guard rail. An investigation revealed that the crash was due to driver distraction. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed, and the driver was cited with a marked lanes violation.

Resident is Victim of Fraud by Check Washing

8:37 a.m. A resident of Locust Drive reported being the victim of check fraud. The resident had mailed a check to a financial firm in New York on December 26, 2023. (No description of the mail receptacle location is stated.) On February 5, 2024, the resident received notice that the check had not been received. Through investigation with the resident’s bank, the resident discovered that the check had been cashed not to the financial firm, but instead to a “David Iberra” of Brooklyn, New York. The check was in the amount of almost $7,900.

Thursday, February 22nd

Icy Conditions Contribute to Rear-End Collision

8:29 a.m. On East Street, a 2018 Ford driven by a man from Franklin was stopped at the end of Canton Street, waiting to enter the East Street rotary, when it was rear-ended by a 2019 Jeep driven by a man from South Walpole. Police noted icy conditions on the road contributed to the inability of the Jeep to stop in time. There were no injuries, and police notified the Westwood Department of Public Works of the icy patch to clear.

Shoplifting Suspect Disappears on Foot

4:16 p.m. While en route to Wegmans supermarket on the report of a shoplifting in progress, police were notified that the suspect had fled on foot. Witnesses described the suspect as a man wearing a black baseball cap, black jacket, black and white sneakers, and wearing a black backpack with smiley face decals on it. They reported seeing him run across University Avenue to the location of the now-closed Casa Loca restaurant. Police conducted an area search but did not find him. The suspect had left behind merchandise that he had attempted to steal, and it was valued at $432. It is unknown whether additional items may have been taken in his backpack.

Stealing Tires with a U-Haul

10:56 p.m. Police received a report from security for the Ira Acura Westwood dealership on Providence Highway that two males were using a U-Haul truck to take used tires from the back of the building. The responding officer arriving at the scene found no such activity. An employee on the premises stated that he had not seen any such truck.

Monday, February 19th

Terminated Employee Spends on Company Credit Card

11:55 a.m. The owner of a business on University Avenue complained of fraudulent charges on the company credit card, to which a recently terminated employee had access. The company credit card was designated to be used for purchasing fuel for company vehicles while on service calls. However, the fraudulent charges included fees for auto repairs to a 2010 Toyota Camry of $1,835, purchases at Whole Foods market in Arlington for $105, Shaws in Weymouth for $988, and a Chinese restaurant and sandwich shop in Quincy for $87 and $27, respectively.

The responding officer contacted the terminated employee who admitted to accidentally using the company's credit card number. It was stored on the former employee’s smartphone with other credit cards.

A payment plan was worked out to reimburse the business for the money spent. The business sent a notice of trespass to the former employee, a 49 year-old man from Weymouth.

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