6-21-2024 12:49am

Police Log: Vandalism Results in Flooded Basement, Suspect Leaves Behind Own Wallet, 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 incidents from the Westwood Police Department's daily log, and information provided by Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and police staff through written records and conversations. Occasionally, Westwood Minute may weave a few facts that it obtains from other sources into these stories.

Monday, June 17th

Hoax or Hearing Noises? - III

12:10 a.m. A resident of Highland Glen Road reported that an abutting neighbor had a television on too loud. When an officer arrived a few minutes later, there was no loud TV to be heard.

Sunday, June 16th

Sounds Like a Gunshot

6:37 a.m. A caller from Sunrise Road reported hearing a possible gunshot in the area, several minutes prior. An officer responded. Nothing was found to be amiss.

Hot Dogs

10:41 a.m. A caller reported that on University Avenue, two dogs were barking in a red SUV which had all of its windows closed. Before police could arrive at the scene, the caller reported that the SUV had driven away.

Saturday, June 15th

Vandalism by Running Water

8:37 a.m. A resident of Oak Street reported vandalism when someone placed a running garden hose into a window well of a garage. The running water flooded the home’s basement.

Wallet Stolen from Unlocked Car

11:57 a.m. A Westwood resident reported that on the prior evening, after attending a party on Briar Lane, the resident’s wallet was stolen from the resident's unlocked car. The victim had left keys and wallet in the center console. The wallet contained $11 in cash, identification, and credit cards. The total value of the missing items was about $51.

Noise Complaint

11:05 p.m. Police received a report of fireworks and loud music in the area of Weatherbee Drive. When an officer investigated, the officer determined that the fireworks were being shot off in Dedham. Westwood Police notified Dedham Police. The latter noted that it would put an end to the fireworks.

Hoax or Hearing Noises? - II

11:54 p.m. A resident of Highland Glen Road reported that a neighbor had the television on too loud. Police responded but heard no such loud sounds from the neighboring apartment.

Friday, June 14th

Evasive Maneuvers

12:51 a.m. An officer conducting traffic enforcement on Pond Street observed a black sedan traveling westbound at excess speed. Radar showed the BMV M-series vehicle was travelling at 53 m.p.h. in a 30 m.p.h. zone. The officer attempted a traffic stop. However, the vehicle turned left onto Oak Street, turned off its lights, and accelerated to a high speed. At the intersection of Oak Street and Locust Drive, the vehicle was no longer in sight. Police searched the area but did not find the vehicle.

Efficient But Ineffective

12:02 p.m. Police were dispatched to Nordstrom Rack where staff reported that a shoplifting suspect had just left the store. Staff provided police with the suspect’s description. Police were able to locate her inside the nearby Target store.

She agreed to accompany an officer back to Nordstrom Rack where she admitted to taking times without paying. She also admitted to having additional stolen merchandise in her vehicle. Police recovered all of the stolen items and returned them to Nordstrom Rack. They were worth $551.08.

While on the scene, Police also received an alert from the nearby Marshalls store of a contemporaneous shoplifting that involved a suspect with matching description. The woman voluntarily accompanied police to Marshalls and returned stolen items totaling $399.72.

Additionally, the suspect had collected items worth $53.91 from Target, but had not had the opportunity to leave the store with them. The items were returned to store staff.

The suspect, a 61 year old from Needham, was trespassed from Nordstrom Rack and Marshalls. She will be summoned to Dedham District Court for shoplifting.

Thursday, June 13th

Odd Encounter

9:39 a.m. A caller reported that as she was jogging in the area of Hartford and Mill streets, she was approached on foot by a white male with brown hair, and a black shirt. He asked her name, where she was going, and if she wanted to go to the beach. Police responded to the area but did not find any individual matching that description.

Shoplifting Suspect Leaves Behind Her Own Wallet

3:46 p.m. Police received a report from Nordstrom Rack that a shoplifting had occurred around 1:35 p.m., and that the suspected thief had left behind her wallet. The store employee(s) told police that the woman replaced her shoes with those from the store, placed more merchandise in her purse, then walked out of the store without paying for the shoes or other items. The suspect also reportedly dropped her wallet in the process of stealing items. The wallet belongs to a woman from Dover. Store staff indicated to police that the store was not interested in pursuing criminal charges due to the low value of the items stolen.

Credit Card Fraud

6:11 p.m. A resident of Westwood Glen Road reported noticing fraudulent purchases on a credit card dating back to March. The charges were posted by the merchant, “Roku,” for $220.96. The resident has contacted the credit card company to get a new card and will be reimbursed for the charges made.

Broken Windows on Fox Hill Street

7:17 p.m. An officer responded to a residence on Fox Hill Street where a complainant reported a bottle being thrown through a window. Upon arriving at the property, the officer observed multiple broken windows on the home’s garage, which was located at the rear of the residence.

An Honest Man

8:23 p.m. A woman from Braintree contacted police after finding a note on her 2024 Toyota Crown, which was also damaged. The car was parked in the Muffin House parking lot in Islington.

The author of the note identified himself, provided his phone number and Millis address, and stated he was taking responsibility for the damaged vehicle. Police contacted the individual and confirmed that he had written the note, and that he was already in contact with the woman from Braintree.

Wednesday, June 12th

Hoax or Hearing Noises?

12:00 a.m. A caller reported that a neighbor on Highland Glen Road had a television on too loud. An officer responded and did not find any objectionable noise in the building.

Found Bicycle

9:15 a.m. A resident of Strafford Road reported that a bicycle had been abandoned near the resident’s home. It had remained on Strafford Road for four days. Police took possession of the bicycle and booked it into the lost property system.

One Thing Leads to Another

7:35 p.m. A call for assistance in mediating a dispute turned into an arrest at the Budget Inn on Providence Highway. Police were dispatched to mediate a dispute between a tenant and the inn’s management. The manager complained that the tenant was behind on rent.

The officer discovered that the tenant had a warrant for her arrest from Waltham District Court, for criminal traffic offenses.

The woman stepped out of her room and approached police. She explained that the dispute was over a recent rent increase.

Police informed the tenant that the dispute was a civil matter and that they had a warrant for her arrest. She was taken into custody without issue. Bail was later set at personal recognizance.

Tuesday, June 11th

Officer Removes Plates from Car with Cancelled Registration

1:22 a.m. An officer discovered a grey, Honda sedan with a cancelled registration parked outside Budget Inn on Providence Highway. As the officer was in the process of removing the plates, a young female exited the building and informed the officer that the vehicle belonged to her mother, a 52 year old Dedham resident. The officer informed the female of the reasons for the plate removal.

Three Car Collision

8:46 a.m. A man from Providence, Rhode Island was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham following a car accident that resulted in him complaining of neck pain.

Three vehicles were travelling north on University Avenue near Blue Hill Drive when they collided. The leading vehicle, a 2021 Subaru driven by an Attleboro woman, had stopped her vehicle. The Providence man was behind her, driving a 2013 Hyundai. He managed to stop in time. However, a 2012 Honda, driven by a woman from Lakeville, was trailing the Providence man and did not stop in time. The Honda pushed the Hyundai into the Subaru. The two trailing vehicles both required tows. The driver of the Honda was cited for following too closely.

Pregnant, Purple-Haired Shoplifting Suspect

12:18 p.m. The manager of CVS on Washington Street informed police that around 10:27 a.m. that same day, a female had entered the store for about 5 to 7 minutes, and then walked out with about $200 worth of merchandise, without paying. She was described as a female in her mid to late 30s, 5’8”, about 130 lb. She appeared to be pregnant and wore long, purple braids in her hair.

Breaking and Entering of Morrison Field Snack Shack

4:26 p.m. Police responded to Morrison Field on a man’s report that a juvenile had broken into the snack shack. The caller observed a child crawl out of the shack with money falling out of the child’s pocket. A second juvenile was observed picking up two single dollar bills.

An officer questioned the second juvenile about the incident, and the juvenile denied having entered the shack. Police observed that a cash box inside the snack shack contained change but no bills.

Police identified the juvenile who had entered the snack shack and spoke to the child’s mother about the incident.

Monday, June 10th

Suspicious Vehicle on Hemlock Drive

12:20 p.m. A resident reported that for two days in a row, a suspicious vehicle had been parked in front of a house on Hemlock Drive while the home’s occupant was out of town. The vehicle was registered to a resident of Hyde Park. The vehicle was gone by the time police arrived to investigate.

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

Updated 6/21/2024 at 5:02 p.m.