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8-18-2025 12:15am
Police Log: Canine Unit Sweeps House for Firearms/Ammo, Paying for Groceries with Counterfeit Bills and Other Stories
Darlene Cancell
Editor
The news described in this installment of 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 Detective Lieutenant Christopher Aylward and police staff to Westwood Minute through written records and conversations. Occasionally, Westwood Minute may weave a few facts that it obtains from other sources into these stories
Monday, August 11th
Found License Plate
6:38 a.m. Police took possession of a license plate which was found on the front lawn of Saint Joan of Arc Parish on High Street.
Identity Theft for DoorDash Purchase
8:39 a.m. Police received a report of identity theft from a resident on High Street. She reported that her bank card had been used in California and Florida, and that someone had opened up a debit card for DoorDash in her name. She has reported the identity theft to her bank and she will not be held responsible for the sum spent. The resident has informed police that a couple of months ago, a similar incident happened.
Sunday, August 10th
Lost Phone Reunited with Owner
6:09 p.m. A phone was discovered by a resident of Quincy in the area of the East Street rotary. The owner was identified as a resident of Waltham. Police were able to reunite the phone with its owner.
Saturday, August 9th
Police Receive Multiple Calls Concerning Gathering of 100+ “Racing” Vehicles
12:45 a.m. Westwood Police responded to the parking lot of Wegmans supermarket on University Avenue upon receiving multiple calls regarding a disturbance and “racing cars.” Upon arrival, police discovered a gathering of what they estimated to be over 100 vehicles. Many of the vehicles were modified, sitting low to the ground.
Police observed people dancing, jumping into cars, and cars spinning their tires. Along with four Westwood Police cruisers, Massachusetts State Police also responded to assist. Citations for offenses such as impermissible modification of the vehicles were handed out to a handful of vehicle operators before they scattered, headed for a similar gathering in Walpole.
For more details on this story, read 911 Dispatchers Flooded with Calls about 100+ Lowrider Cars Spinning Tires, ‘Racing’ in Westwood.
Shoplifting Suspect in Series of 7 Shoplifting Incidents is Identified
1:33 p.m. Police received a report of shoplifting by a suspect who is believed to have shoplifted at least 7times over a one year period from the Target Store on University Avenue. She has been identified as a woman from Stoughton. On August 8th, she was observed entering the store, putting items into a reusable shopping bag, placing the bag in her cart, and walking out of the store without paying. She was not confronted in this instance, but police will be charging her for shoplifting items worth about $2,330 over 7 incidents.
Not Quite a Clean Getaway
1:53 p.m. Staff at the Target store on University Avenue reported that a female failed to scan all of her items at a self-checkout, and exited with 3 vacuums which had not been scanned. The items were valued at over $500. She was accompanied by a man. The suspects were identified has individuals having different last names who live at the same Weymouth address. They will be summoned for shoplifting.
Arrest for Driving on Suspended License
4:23 p.m. An officer conducting stationary traffic enforcement in the area of Washington Street and Croft Regis Road entered a query on a passing vehicle and discovered its owner had a suspended license. Upon making the traffic stop, the driver told the officer that he was aware of the license suspension but was working with a lawyer to fix it. Police arrested the man for driving on a suspended license. He was released on personal recognizance.
Friday, August 8th
Milton Resident Charged with 3 Counts of Shoplifting
12:00 p.m. Staff of the Target store on University Avenue reported having a suspect in custody who is believed to have shoplifted about $71 in merchandise. Staff believed that the suspect also shoplifted items worth about $100 in April and items worth about $75 in February. Police have reviewed the evidence and will be charging the Milton resident with three counts of shoplifting. Items taken included jewelry, clothing, candles, and towels.
Thursday, August 7th
Golf Ball Hits Windshield of Passing Car
7:08 p.m. A resident of Dedham reported driving in the area of Downey Street and Booth Drive when the resident’s car was struck by a golf ball. The ball landed on the car’s windshield. It is believed that the ball most likely came from the direction of the Norfolk Golf Club.
Wednesday, August 6th
Complaint about Neighborhood Kids
9:57 a.m. A resident of Reed Avenue reported that youths were cutting through her yard without permission. She complained that while three children were playing at the side of her house a 2 year-old had pulled a plow marker out of her yard and hit her car with the marker. The police report does not indicate any damage to the vehicle.
Canine Unit Sweeps House for Firearms, Ammunition
10:41 a.m. While the sheriff was packing up items to take possession of a condemned home on High Street, the sheriff discovered two unsecured, loaded firearms in the house. One was a 38 revolver, and the other was a 9mm pistol. Westwood Police’s canine unit responded to conduct a sweep of the house. No further firearms or ammunition were found.
Customer Uses Counterfeit Bills to Purchase Groceries
1:14 p.m. Staff at Wegmans supermarket on University Avenue reported being in receipt of counterfeit bills, each with apparent face value of $50. Police observed that each bill displayed the same serial number, lacked security stripes, and were not printed with color-shifting ink. A female suspect is believed to have used five of the counterfeit $50 bills to pay for $225 worth of groceries. Police are working on identifying the suspect.
Feeling Followed
7:20 p.m. Police received a call from a concerned female who reported being followed by two men in a car in the area of Weatherbee Drive. She reported that as she walked, the car drove past her, then backed up and proceeded to drive next to her. The woman walked to the porch of a house. An occupant ran out of the car, knocked on another house's door, and then got back in the car.
Hide-and-Seek Causes a Disturbance
9:29 p.m. A caller reported that high school aged youths were running around and playing hide-and-seek in the area of Fisher and Baker streets, causing a disturbance.
Tuesday, August 5th
Eversource Employee Raises Suspicions
6:16 p.m. Police received a call from a resident of Warwick Drive who reported a suspicious person. The man allegedly represented himself as an Eversource employee and asked to make appointments with residents to switch out their home’s electric meters. Although the man wore a badge and shirt with “Eversource” on them, he drove a personal car, not a company car. Police located the man and determined that he was indeed conducting legitimate work for Eversource.
Intoxicated Male is Placed in Protective Custody
8:53 p.m. Family members of an intoxicated man summoned police to a home on Westwood Glen Road, for help. The man was apparently causing a disturbance in the home where he resides. Police placed the man in protective custody and transported him to the hospital.
Monday, August 4th
Sound of Fireworks
8:14 p.m. Police responded to the area of Lake Shore Drive and Pond Street on the report of fireworks in the area. Nothing was found.
Arrest for Driving while Intoxicated
9:27 p.m. A resident of Westwood Glen Road complained of being harassed by a neighboring Westwood resident. Police responded and found the person complained of in a running car, appearing intoxicated. After conducting a field sobriety test, police determined that the subject was indeed intoxicated. He was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Following his booking, he was released on personal recognizance and police provided him with a courtesy ride back to his home.
Thanks to Detective Lieutenant Christopher Aylward and the Westwood Police Department for contributing information for this Westwood Minute article.
