Police Log: Burglary at Westwood Pizza, Arrest for Door-to-Door Solicitations, Unemployment Fraud and Unlocked Cars

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The news described in Westwood Minute’s Police Log article is based on selected information from the Westwood Police Department’s daily log and information provided by Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and police staff.

Monday, August 16th

Bad driving does the talking for getting cell phone driver out of a ticket

1:30 p.m. A police officer, who was conducting stationary traffic enforcement on Washington Street near Islington Pizza, observed a driver using a handheld cell phone. While making a traffic stop of that driver on East Street, a 2002 Acura cut into traffic unsafely. The officer’s attention turned to the driver of the Acura.

The driver of the Acura told the officer that he had no license with him. Upon being asked for his social security number, he responded that he could not remember it. He gave the officer his name and date of birth, but refused to give an address. The officer learned that the man was driving on a suspended license and arrested him. The man was issued a criminal moving citation for driving under suspension, a marked lanes violation, and failure to signal. Bail was set at $430, which was paid by the driver’s acquaintance.

The Acura driver, a 30 year-old man residing on Village Road West in Norwood, was released at 8:07 p.m. No citation was issued for the driver using a cell phone.

Tuesday, August 17th

Unemployment benefits fraudulently claimed

9:10 a.m. A resident of Far Reach Road reported receiving a notice from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance acknowledging a claim for unemployment benefits. However, the resident is employed full-time. The resident notified the MDUA and reported the incident to police.

Lt. Sheehy notes that a significant amount of unemployment fraud was reported last year, and had since died out. However, he says that there has been a recent uptick with a handful of cases. In these cases, a person usually receives notice by letter from MDUA that a claim has been filed for unemployment assistance. The letter may state that unemployment benefits have been awarded. In fact, the resident has not filed any such claim.

Lt. Sheehy advises residents, “Anyone with a letter like that should contact us to file a report. They should go to the MDUA website and file an online fraud report. They should contact at least one credit card agency to put a watch or freeze on credit. Most banks will also put a watch or freeze on an account and monitor for unusual activity.”

Wednesday, August 18th

Wanted and wandering by foot to Boston

3:38 p.m. An off-duty Westwood Police officer spotted a 27 year-old Salem resident, whom he recognized from a prior arrest warrant, walking along High Street near Lowder Brook Drive, looking disheveled and possibly needing assistance. Police responded to the area and located him. The walker asked police if he was walking in the right direction towards Boston. Police discovered that the Salem resident was wanted on a default warrant out of Boston District Court for 2 charges of destruction of property and 2 arrest warrants from Salem for vandalism. He was arrested. Due to the default warrant, the bail commissioner denied him bail. Westwood Police transported him to the custody of the Essex County Sheriff.

Fleeing an accident scene

5:09 p.m. At the University Station parking lot near Smashburger and Panera Bread, a Jeep was backing out of a space when it struck the side of a passing Kia. The Jeep left the scene, but the driver of the Kia, a 25 year-old woman from Weymouth, was able to give police a description of the car and the general direction it was headed. Police located the Jeep and issued the driver, a 23 year-old man from Roslindale, a citation for leaving the scene of an accident. The driver of the Kia was evaluated by Westwood Fire paramedics and then transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Needham.

Friday, August 20th

Break-in and burglary at Westwood Pizza

9:00 a.m. Westwood Police responded to Westwood Pizza on High Street when an employee opening up the eatery in the morning found a portion of the front door had the glass broken-in. Money totaling about $1,900 had been taken. Police were able to recover video from inside the shop and detectives will be following up with businesses in the area for potential external camera views. The burglary is believed to have occurred in the early morning hours of Friday, August 20th.

Lock your car at night

8:50 a.m. Police responded to a residence on Weatherbee Drive to take a report of a break-in of the resident’s car. The resident’s unlocked Chevy Suburban had been entered overnight and approximately $70 was taken from the console.

4:33 p.m. A woman residing on Lea Road reported to police that sometime between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the previous night, her Subaru Outback was entered and approximately $20 was taken. The resident noted that generally she leaves the car locked but believes it was unlocked the night this occurred.

Lt. Sheehy urges residents to lock their vehicle when they leave it overnight, even if it is in their own driveway.

Confused and soliciting sales without a permit

5:59 p.m. Westwood Police received a resident’s complaint that a man was soliciting sales of books and magazines to benefit homeless shelters in Boston. Police located the man, a resident of East Water Street in Jefferson City, Missouri, in the area of Mayfair Drive. He was talking to a resident in front of the home. A police officer had spoken to the man a few weeks ago and advised him to apply for a solicitation permit. He had not done so.

Police noted that contrary to what the Missouri man had earlier told a resident, he now told police that he was raising funds for the Boys and Girls Club - not homeless shelters. His sales catalog did not appear to be professionally printed and was extremely faded. While police talked with him, a resident who had given him a check had second thoughts. The resident questioned the legitimacy of the enterprise and took back the check. Police arrested the Missouri resident for soliciting without a permit, violation of a town by-law. Bail was set at $190. It was paid by a friend and the man was released at 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, August 22nd

Commotion on the commute

5:14 p.m. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) alerted Westwood Police to an unruly passenger on an outbound train that was headed to Islington Station in Westwood. The passenger was described as a man in his twenties or thirties, wearing shorts and a navy blue sweatshirt. He had argued with a conductor. Police arrived at Carroll Avenue. They found the man and sent him on his way by foot.

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