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10-27-2024 12:20am
Police Log: Resident Charged with Elder Abuse and Possession of Drugs, Including Heroin, Cocaine
Darlene Cancell
Editor
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.
Wednesday, October 23rd
Resident Charged with Elder Abuse and Possession of Drugs, Including Heroin, Cocaine
10:17 a.m. An officer visited a home in Westwood to serve a warrant to a resident for failing to appear in court on a felony charge of elder abuse. As the 42 year-old man was being taken into custody, his girlfriend handed the officer a fanny pack with the man’s personal identification to bring with him to the police station. An inventory search at the station revealed narcotics in the fanny pack, resulting in additional charges.
Police charged the resident with two counts of possession of a Class A drug (heroin, cocaine); three counts of possession of a Class B drug (OxyContin, amphetamines), subsequent offense; two counts of possession of a Class C drug (clonazepam); and two counts of possession of a Class E drug (alprazolam).
Tuesday, October 22nd
Disorderly Conduct and Assault and Battery on a Police Officer
5:24 p.m. An officer was working detail for Dedham Westwood Water District, which had a crew at the intersection of High Street and Lakeshore Drive. Access to either street from the other was closed due to the work being done.
The officer saw a man in a white tee shirt and pink shorts yelling and waving, and pointing to the officer. The man excitedly approached the officer and demanded that the road be opened. His spittle landed on the officer’s uniform. When the officer asked the man to calm down, the man shoved the officer. The man, a resident of High Street, was arrested for disorderly conduct and assault and battery on a police officer. At the police station, he was paid bail of $100 to be released.
Saturday, October 19th
Resident Charged with Assault and Battery on Contractor
7:18 a.m. An officer was dispatched to a home on Fox Hill Street on the report of an alleged assault during a dispute between a homeowner and a contractor.
The workers claimed that upon their arrival, the homeowner complained that they had parked on his lawn. They reported that the homeowner proceeded to spit in a worker’s face, and grabbed the worker’s sweatshirt in his two hands. The homeowner also reportedly threw the worker’s cell phone on the ground, cracking its screen. The homeowner denied the assault.
The homeowner will be summoned to Dedham District Court on two counts of assault and battery (one count for spitting and one count for shoving), and one count of vandalism for damage to the cell phone.
Friday, October 18th
Impersonating an Army General
8:55 a.m. A resident of School Street reported a suspicious Facebook message to police. The resident informed the officer that she had been conversing for two years with an individual who claimed to be a general in the U.S. Army. Recently, the conversation turned into requests for money and the purchase of gift cards.
The officer advised the resident that the calls were likely fraudulent representations. The resident said she would discontinue the contact and block any further calls from this person and any other unknown person.
Mother Shoplifts for Legos, with Child in Tow
3:33 p.m. An officer responded to a call from the Target store on University Avenue regarding a shoplifting in progress. Upon arrival, the officer found the suspect, a 40 year-old woman from Dedham cooperating with store staff in the store’s loss prevention office. She was accompanied by her minor child. She had paid for some items at the self-checkout but failed to pay for some home goods, a comforter, and a Lego set worth a total of $118. She was trespassed from the store for one year.
Police Prepare 12th Warrant for Shoplifting Suspect
4:01 p.m. An employee of Ulta Beauty on University Avenue reported a shoplifting that had occurred around 1:45 p.m. involving a suspect who is thought to have committed previous thefts. The suspect, a 26 year-old woman from Providence, Rhode Island, concealed items in her purse and exited without paying while door alarms sounded. The suspect left with $782 in merchandise.
Upon investigating, police learned the suspect has 11 open warrants for her arrest form multiple jurisdictions in Massachusetts. She was recently arrested by the Warwick, Rhode Island Police Department. Westwood Police are preparing a 12th warrant for her arrest for shoplifting.
Shoplifting Suspect Says He Got Distracted from Paying
8:58 p.m. Police were advised by the Target store on University Avenue of a shoplifting in progress. Upon arriving, police found a 52 year-old man from Boston in the loss prevention office. He had been observed using the self-checkout register and failing to scan a comforter, two sheet sets, and two fire extinguishers, worth a total of $399. The man explained he failed to pay because he got distracted. The man was trespassed from any Target store in Norfolk County.
Police Charging Suspect Who Fled from Domestic Abuse Incident
10:15 p.m. An officer responded to a report of domestic abuse at a Westwood residence. The suspect, a man from West Roxbury, fled. Police will be seeking a warrant.
Thursday, October 17th
Child on Bike Hits Vehicle Exiting Business Driveway
9:14 a.m. A Westwood resident reported that the resident’s son was involved in a minor accident with a vehicle. The child was riding a bicycle in the area of East and Washington streets, and hit a vehicle when the car pulled out of the private driveway used for the Muffin House café on East Street. The parent reported no serious injuries and noted that the driver stopped to check on the boy and provided her contact information to a family friend who was at the scene. The driver told police she was unable to see due to solar glare.
Ex-Boyfriend Alerts Police to Suspect’s False Identity
9:41 p.m. Police responded to the Target store on University Avenue for a shoplifting in progress where two females were observed concealing merchandise while they walked through the store. Police waited near the front of the store as the suspects approached. The suspects then abandoned all concealed merchandise in an aisle. Police confronted the suspects, who both signed admission statements. They were barred from the store for one year, and police escorted them from the building.
Outside, an officer noticed a man standing outside a vehicle in the parking lot – the only person on foot in the parking lot. He was talking on a phone, and appeared to be waiting for someone. Upon speaking with the man, the officer received confirmation that one of the shoplifting suspects, a 36 year-old from Mattapan, was the man’s ex-girlfriend. The man provided a name for his ex-girlfriend, which was different from the name she had provided to police. The man informed the officer that the name his ex-girlfriend had provided was false.
Police discovered that the ex-girlfriend had five active warrants from Brookline and Cambridge district courts for offenses related to theft. After searching the area, the suspect was located and placed under arrest. Bail was denied and she was held overnight and transported to Dedham District Court in the morning.
Separate from the prior warrants, Westwood Police have prepared charges for four counts of shoplifting, based on the current incident and three prior incidents. The thefts involved handbags, jewelry, eyewear, small electronics, mattress toppers and sporting goods.
Wednesday, October 16th
Pine Hill School Employee Reports Theft from School Parking Lot
12:01 p.m. A Westwood resident who is employed at Pine Hill Elementary School reported that a purse was missing from the resident’s vehicle which was parked in the school’s rear parking lot. The complainant discovered the purse missing around 3:30 p.m. It contained credit cards, cash, and other items. The complainant was unsure whether the vehicle was locked.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and the Westwood Police Department for contributing information for this Westwood Minute article.
