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4-06-2026 10:59pm
Police Log: Road Rage Fears, Price Tag Swaps, and Other Incidents
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 Lieutenant Michael DiLalla and police staff to Westwood Minute through written records and conversations. Occasionally, Westwood Minute may incorporate facts that it obtains from other sources into these stories.
Monday, March 30
Traffic Stop Leads to Arrest
5:53 a.m. An officer observed a vehicle traveling 55 m.p.h. in a 35 m.p.h. zone on High Street. Upon making the traffic stop, the officer discovered that the driver’s license had been suspended following a charge for operating a motor vehicle after suspension in 2024, as well as failure to pay child support. The officer arrested the driver, a Millis resident, and charged him with one count of operating a motor vehicle after suspension.
Sunday, March 29
Switching Price Tags
3:17 p.m. Police responded to the Target store on University Avenue where a female was in custody in the store office, after being observed switching price tags on items. The suspect reportedly switched the price tag of an infant clothing set with a lower cost item. She also appears to have switched the price tag on a cell phone case with the price tag for an inexpensive plastic cup. For merchandise that should have totaled over $82, she scanned a total of $15 at the self-checkout register. The suspect, a Wrentham woman in her 50s, was charged with one count of shoplifting and trespassed for one year.
Saturday, March 28
Fraudulent Verizon Phone Accounts Opened
10:13 a.m. A resident of Pleasant Valley Road reported that someone had fraudulently opened four Verizon phone accounts in the resident’s name, resulting in a $896 bill charged to the resident. The resident has never had a Verizon account. He will monitor his accounts and credit cards.
Friday, March 27
Damaged Vehicle Linked to Hit and Run Found in Westwood Parking Lot
6:56 a.m. Police responded to the parking lot of Roche Bros. supermarket on Washington Street where they found an Infiniti that was parked across two parking spots, with heavy front end damage and the air bag deployed. The front bumper of the vehicle was found in Norwood, where the vehicle is believed to have been involved in a crash. The vehicle is registered to a resident of Attleboro with ties to Westwood. Norwood Police are investigating a possible hit and run.
Locked Inside After Hours
11:18 p.m. Police received a report from a female who reported being locked inside the Life Time fitness center on Harvard Street, after hours. Police contacted staff to respond and let the caller out.
Thursday, March 26
Phone Scam Targets Resident
1:58 p.m. A resident of Highland Glen Road told police that she received a call from a person who identified himself as “William Myers” and who alleged that she owed money to the federal government. The resident stayed on the phone with the caller for hours. She sent the caller a photo of her driver’s license. The caller threatened to come to her residence the next day, if she failed to send money. Police informed the resident that the call was a scam, to block the caller, and to contact police immediately for any unsafe or suspicious activity.
Hate Mail Reported on High Street
2:03 p.m. Police responded to an address on High Street for the report by residents of hate mail that was found on their front lawn and their neighbor's property. Several papers referenced House Democrats, President Trump releasing files, “Sleepy Joe,” and a “Save America” that was followed by a stated threat to liberals.
The residents were unwilling to tell police their political affiliation due to fears of the general political climate.
Police disposed of the papers.
Shoplifting Suspect Flees with Jackets
2:12 p.m. An officer responded to Nordstrom Rack on University Avenue where asset protection staff informed police that when confronted, a shoplifting suspect had run away with two jackets – one in his hand, and one worn under multiple layers of clothing. The total value of items taken was $160. The suspect apparently said he ran because he did not know the staff were members of asset protection. The suspect, a resident, of Southborough, was charged with shoplifting.
Check Fraud with Altered Payee Name
2:50 p.m. Police received a report from a business on University Avenue regarding check fraud. A representative of the business told police that a check for $4,766 was mailed to a vendor on February 19. However, on March 25, the business became aware that the check had been intercepted and the payee was replaced with the name, “David Allphin” of Long Island, New York.
Police have determined that both the name and address used for the payee are fake. Police spoke with a manager from the bank in Wilson, North Carolina where the check was cashed on February 26.
The victim initiated a fraud report with the business’s bank, which requested the filing of a police report.
Wednesday, March 25
Dedham Juvenile Charged with Shoplifting
7:32 p.m. Police responded to the Target store on University Avenue where store staff reported that a juvenile was observed concealing beauty items worth $99 in a bag. After at first refusing to provide a name or identification, the juvenile gave police a parent’s phone number. Police contacted the juvenile’s mother, who was advised to take custody of her child. The juvenile, a teenager from Dedham, was trespassed from the store for one year.
Tuesday, March 24
Client Harasses Tattoo Artist
9:55 a.m. The owner of a business on Providence Highway spoke with police about receiving harassing messages from a former client. The business owner stated that the client paid a deposit for a tattoo design, but that the tattoo did not proceed beyond the design phase. Since then, the client allegedly has been harassing the owner online. The owner believes the client has had numerous violent offenses in his past. Police note that the messages themselves appeared to contain no criminal conduct.
Road Rage Incident Leads to Fears of Gun Violence
11:39 a.m. Police received a report of an assault following a road rage incident in the area of 321 Washington Street. The caller dialed 911 and told an emergency dispatcher that the caller had been traveling on Everett Street toward the Washington Street intersection, in Norwood. The complainant told police that as he made a turn on to Washington Street, a white, Dodge Avenger also turned, honked its horn, cut off the complainant’s vehicle, and tried to run the complainant off the road. Both drivers exited their vehicles in front of 321 Washington Street.
Complainant told police that the other driver, who was about 5’10” in height with dreadlocks, spit in his face. When the complainant tried to call 911, the other driver allegedly took complainant’s phone and threw it. According to the complainant, the other driver allegedly told a passenger in his car to “Pop this n****,” and the passenger exited, gesturing to pull something from his waistband. The complainant believed the passenger had a gun.
Police contacted the registered owner of the suspect’s vehicle – a female residing in Norwood. She informed police that she was in Honduras and that her mother in Brighton had custody of the vehicle.
Police contacted the mother, who told police no one had taken the car and that she had been working at the time of the incident. Police investigated and learned, however, that the mother has a son residing in Norwood whose appearance matches that of the suspect. The son has a history of assault and battery and firearms charges as recently as this February from an incident in West Roxbury.
However, given a photo array of nine individuals that included the suspect, the complainant was unable to identify the suspect. Police continue to investigate.
Thanks to Lieutenant Michael DiLalla and Westwood Police Department for sharing information for this Westwood Minute article.
