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Image by Westwood Minute/Darlene Wong Cancell.
8-18-2026 12:22am
Police Log: Driver and Passenger Extricated after Crash, Resident Reports Assault in Friend’s Home, Vehicle Break-Ins
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 incorporate facts that it obtains from other sources into these stories.
Monday, August 10
Suspect Observed Failing to Pay at Self-Checkout
1:06 p.m. Police received a call from the Five Below store on University Avenue, where staff reported observing a customer failing to scan all of his items at the self-checkout register. The suspect was trespassed from the store.
Resident Reports Harassment by Landscaper
2:55 p.m. A resident of Lull Street complained of harassment by a landscaper whom she had hired to do work as needed on her property. She told police that the landscaper had called and texted her increasingly over the summer, had driven by her home, and was asking who was taking care of her lawn. She said that she is not interested in future contact with him and advised him that his services were not needed and to stop calling.
Shortly after that conversation, the resident told police that he drove by her home again. Police have noted that the landscaper is a young Westwood resident who may have had other business in the neighborhood.
Dorchester Senior Arrested for Shoplifting
7:23 p.m. Police received a report of a shoplifting in progress at the Five Below store on University Avenue. Police responded and observed the suspect, a 70-year-old woman from Dorchester, exit the store. She was stopped, and police determined that she had stolen candy, gum, and beauty care items. Police also learned that she had a warrant for her arrest for shoplifting from Wrentham District Court. She was trespassed from the store, charged with shoplifting (third offense), and arrested on the warrant.
Sunday, August 9
Unauthorized Withdrawals from Bank Account
12:39 p.m. A Canton resident reported opening a bank account at Rockland Trust on University Avenue and discovering that someone had made four withdrawals from the account in October 2025, March 2026, and May 2026. The total taken from the account was $40,000.
Saturday, August 8
Resident Reports Being Assaulted at Friend’s Home
12:28 a.m. A resident of Bay Colony Drive reported being assaulted “for no reason” by other guests while at a friend’s home on Fisher Street. Police spoke with the other guests, who were college friends of the Fisher Street resident. They informed police that the complainant had made derogatory things about them and was acting aggressive and had been asked to leave. He was escorted out, they said. Police attempted to obtain more information from the complainant, but the complainant’s father reportedly declined to allow police to speak with him further. Police noted that the complainant appeared intoxicated while the other guests appeared to be sober.
Driver and Passenger Extricated after Vehicle Strikes Utility Pole
2:11 a.m. Police responded to Winter Street, where a vehicle had left the road, struck a utility pole, and rolled onto its side before coming to rest on its wheels. A driver and passenger were trapped inside the car, and air bags had deployed. Both were extricated and transported to the hospital. The driver, a 40- year-old Walpole woman, was determined to have been driving home from the area of Westwood’s Pond Plain Avenue. Police charged her with operating under the influence of alcohol, second offense. The passenger, a 40-year-old woman from Ashland, did not appear to understand what had happened. Police noted that both were soaking wet, as if they had been swimming.
Utility Company Repairs Pole Damage in Early Morning Vehicle Accident
3:21 a.m. Police noted that the Department of Public Works was called to Winter Street to assist Eversource in locating sewer and water lines, as Eversource replaced a damaged poll which had been struck by a vehicle around 2:00 a.m. that morning.
Disturbance Reported on Poplar Street
12:04 p.m. Police responded to Poplar Street on the report of a disturbance. One individual reported that the primary resident and another resident were involved a physical altercation. The caller left the scene before police arrived. When police arrived, the primary resident fled. Those remaining at the house told police they had no knowledge of the incident.
Mattapan Man Arrested for Shoplifting
6:00 p.m. Police arrived at Wegmans supermarket on University Avenue where a person reportedly pushed a cart of unpaid merchandise out of the store. The 40-year-old man from Mattapan is believed to have shoplifted in the past, but so far had evaded being caught. On this occasion, he was arrested for stealing beer and other alcohol, seafood including lobster tails, coleslaw, and vegetables.
Friday, August 7
Hubcaps Stolen From Westwood Glen Road
12:30 p.m. A resident of Westwood Glen Road reported that the hubcaps had been stolen from the resident’s parked, 2018 Subaru Impreza.
Thursday, August 6
Motor Vehicle Break-In on Westchester Drive
12:00 a.m. A Westchester Drive resident reported that the resident’s car had been rummaged through. Nothing was reported stolen, but a lighter was found inside the car that did not belong to the resident.
Lost Ring Is Valued at $75,000
8:58 a.m. A resident of Gay Street reported a lost sapphire ring, valued at $75,000. The resident recalled placing it in a bag with other jewelry and hiding it in her home. She recently found the bag of jewelry, but the ring was missing. Police have spoken with the resident’s family members who will assist the resident in checking her jewelry against an inventory that was taken three years ago.
Road Rage on Interstate 95
2:46 p.m. A Walpole resident reported encountering a male experiencing apparent road rage on Interstate 95. The complainant told police that the man threw objects out of his vehicle’s window towards her own vehicle as they both were driving. The resident exited the interstate at the Route 109 exit into Westwood, where she pulled into the police station parking lot. The other vehicle continued on its way. The underlying incident inciting the road rage was not described.
Report of Woman in Distress Yelling from Moving Vehicle
3:39 p.m. Westwood Police received an alert from Needham Police about a report involving a female yelling for help from inside a black BMW that was traveling on Chestnut Street toward Westwood. Westwood Police did not find a vehicle matching the description given.
Disorderly Passenger Is Removed from Train
4:43 p.m. Amtrak contacted Westwood Police for assistance with a male party who was on a train, arriving at Westwood’s Route 128 Station from Boston. The passenger, who had not paid his fare, was described as aggressive and yelling at the conductor.
Westwood Police responded to the station and assisted in removing the passenger from the train. The passenger, a 60-year-old man from Providence, appeared to be heavily intoxicated. He admitted to drinking two pints of vodka that day and agreed to be transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham for an evaluation.
Suspect Steals Bratz Dolls
5:39 p.m. Police received a call from staff at the Target store on University Avenue where a suspected shoplifter had left the store. He reportedly had been observed placing Bratz dolls, valued at about $180 in a cooler and backpack. Loss prevention staff were able to apprehend him, but when asked for identification, he refused and ran away. Police identified the registered owner of the suspect’s vehicle, who told police that their son had the car. The 30-year-old from Hyde Park will be summoned for shoplifting.
Wednesday, August 5
Dover Resident Injured after Speeding for Help with Ailing Dog
12:07 p.m. Police responded to the area of East Street and Carroll Avenue where a two-vehicle collision resulted in one driver being transported to the hospital. A Dover resident reportedly was speeding, with hazard lights activated on an Acura SUV, while transporting an ailing dog in his care to a veterinarian in Wellesley. The Acura collided with a second car which was attempting a left turn from East Street onto Carroll Avenue, causing the Acura to spin onto a lawn and back onto the street. The Dover resident was taken to the hospital, and police found the dog deceased upon arrival. It was unclear whether the dog’s health condition or the accident caused the dog’s death.
Suspicious Vehicle with Trailer
3:36 p.m. Police received a report from Westwood Department of Public Works that a black pickup with a trailer was observed driving repeatedly in circles between High and Nahatan streets. It reportedly had done so at least six times that day. Police responded, but the vehicle was gone when they arrived.
Tuesday, August 4
Motor Vehicle Break-Ins on Burgess Avenue III
6:50 a.m. A resident of Burgess Avenue reported that upon getting ready to go to work, he and his wife observed that someone had rummaged through their vehicles. He noticed spare change was missing from his car. Nothing was reported missing from his wife’s Lexus SUV.
Motor Vehicle Break-Ins on Beechnut Road
11:36 a.m. A resident of Beechnut Road reported that someone had entered his Nissan Pathfinder and Jeep Wrangler. He believed that $15 and loose change were taken from the Pathfinder, and nothing was missing from the Jeep. The doors of both vehicles were unlocked.
Motor Vehicle Break-In on Burgess Avenue II
12:22 p.m. A Subaru Ascent was reportedly broken into on Burgess Avenue, and a camera and glasses valued at $150 were taken. In video footage, a male in light-colored clothing was seen exiting the vehicle.
Motor Vehicle Break-Ins on Burgess Avenue
5:12 p.m. Police received reports of vehicle break-ins from two residents of the same Burgess Avenue address. They informed police that a Toyota Highlander had been entered and that a work laptop, two wallets, and a credit card were had been stolen from inside the vehicle. Additionally, a student identification card was taken. One spouse who prepares for work at 3:45 a.m. reportedly observed a vehicle leave the area with its headlights off. The vehicle was notable, the resident said, because there usually is no traffic at that hour.
Motor Vehicle Break-Ins on Sunrise Road
8:34 p.m. A resident of Sunrise Road reported that two vehicles belonging to the resident’s family had been rummaged through. A Toyota RAV4 was missing spare change and possibly a Kate Spade backpack. A Volvo had been rummaged through, but nothing was reported missing. Both vehicles were unlocked.
Thanks to Detective Lieutenant Christopher Aylward and Westwood Police Department for sharing information for this Westwood Minute article.
