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10-21-2026 12:21am
Police Log: Family Member Turns in Juvenile's Vaping Device, Shoplifting Suspect Reneges on Repayment, 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 Sergeant Christopher Elcock 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.
Sunday, October 11
Police Believe Shoplifting Suspect Re-entered Store to Take More Merchandise
4:10 p.m. Police were summoned to the Target store on University Avenue for a shoplifting in progress. Asset protection staff reportedly observed a middle-aged man, dressed all in black with grey sweats, conceal items while within the store. Staff observed him with a grey, personal bag in his shopping cart, and inquired about its contents. The suspect pulled out unpaid store merchandise consisting of health and beauty products valued at almost $240. Staff believed he had more merchandise in his vehicle, as he had been observed exiting the store and re-entering it before police arrived. A police investigation revealed additional unpaid merchandise in the suspect's car, valued at $304. In all, the suspect is believed to have taken about $540 worth of store merchandise. He will be summoned to Dedham District Court for shoplifting and will be trespassed from the Westwood Target store for one year.
Avoiding a Stinky Problem
4:55 p.m. A resident of Dean Avenue reported seeing a skunk emerge from beneath his porch in the daytime. He wondered whether the skunk had rabies. The animal control officer informed the resident that skunks do come out during the day, and it does not necessarily mean an animal is rabid. The officer advised the resident to deter the skunk from nesting under the porch by creating annoying noises and add bright lights to the area.
Saturday, October 10
Early Morning Argument
1:50 a.m. An officer patrolling in the area of University Avenue encountered a couple arguing outside the Courtyard Marriott hotel. The officer learned that both individuals were North Shore residents and they were arguing about driving. No crime was being committed.
Assisting in a Safe Return Home
12:58 a.m. A dog sitter at an Everett Street residence called police after a young adult male, banged on the door, then walked away in the direction of Canton Street. Police responded and located an individual matching the suspect's description outside 26 Hedgerow Lane. The individual, a resident of Westwood, did not remember banging on a door. He reportedly told police that he had been drinking and that a friend had dropped him off near home. Police learned that the resident's home was on Oriole Road, the other side of town. Police provided the resident with a ride home.
Friday, October 9
Strange Car is Not Abandoned
10:42 a.m. Police received a complaint from an apartment manager on Highland Glen Road, who told police that a strange car had been parked in the lot for more than one week. Police identified the owner of the vehicle, who told police that he was the grandson of an apartment resident. He informed police that he had left the vehicle with his grandfather.
Thursday, October 8
Reporting Discovery of a Family Member's Vaping Device
9:34 a.m. A resident discovered a vaping device in the bedroom of a teenage family member. The resident believed the device was used for marijuana and was contacted police to turn over the device.
Don't Talk to Strangers
4:32 p.m. Two juveniles walked to the police station to report that a woman had approached them at the library, asking if they had seen her seventh-grader. Police spoke with the juveniles and advised them not to speak with strangers if they found them suspicious.
Unsubstantiated Accusation of Theft
4:36 p.m. Staff at the Budget Inn on Providence Highway reported two residents were arguing in nearby rooms. Police learned that one resident was accusing the other of stealing a necklace that had gone missing after the other resident was in his room the previous night. Police reviewed security video and determined that the accused party did not enter the complainant's room on the night in question.
Boston Man Arrested for Shoplifting
7:24 p.m. Police responded to the Target store on University Avenue after receiving a report that a male wearing a black and blue camouflage shirt had walked out of the store with a cart of unpaid merchandise. Police intercepted the suspect, a man from Boston, and discovered that he possessed clothing and cleaning supplies valued at $485. He was arrested and trespassed from all Target stores in Norfolk County.
Driver Injured in Single-Vehicle Accident on Gay Street
8:28 p.m. Police responded to the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Gay Street. A 2023 Lexus SUV had crashed into the property of 51 Gay Street, and an airbag had deployed. The driver was transported to the hospital with injuries.
Wednesday, October 7
Identity Fraud to Open a Savings Account
12:13 p.m. A detective met with a resident of Westwood Glen who reported receiving a bank statement in the mail a few days earlier, regarding an account which she had never opened. Upon contacting the bank in West Roxbury, she was told to report the incident to police as fraud. The bank told the resident that someone had used her identification and phone number to open the savings account. The case is under investigation.
Mutual Aid in Human Trafficking and Kidnapping Case
5:26 p.m. Westwood Police K-9 unit responded to Windsor Wood Lane in Canton upon a request for aid in searching for a cell phone, believed to be discarded by a suspect in a human trafficking and kidnapping case. The suspect was apprehended and found without a phone. The K-9 unit searched but did not find any discarded phone.
Criminal Activity or Mistaken Deliveries?
5:27 p.m. Police received a report that about 100 Amazon delivery packages had collected outside 260 Washington Street, which was vacant. Police responded to the scene, and during a three-hour investigation, witnessed three more Amazon deliveries being made to the site. The many packages were addressed to different people.
Police contacted Amazon about the incident, and were told that Amazon would investigate the misdeliveries. They all reportedly originated from the Amazon Westborough facility.
Police report that all of the misdelivered packages were returned to Amazon by October 12.
Caller Reports Witnessing Car Flee from Scene of Hit-and-Run
9:00 p.m. Police received a report that a small, dark grey car had crashed into a curb outside the Smashburger restaurant on University Avenue and left the area, dragging a piece of the curb with it. Police responded and did not locate the described damage to the curb, but believed the witness may have seen the car leaving with a partly detached bumper.
Tuesday, October 6
Reporting Theft of Equipment after Completing Westwood High School Project
11:34 a.m. Police received a report from Helios Energy about equipment being stolen after it was used in a project at Westwood High School on Nahatan Street. The company employee reported that from July 2025 to November 2025, work was performed at the high school using a skid steer - a small bulldozer - rented from United Rentals. The Helios Energy employee told police that when the project at the high school was completed, United Rentals picked up the skid steer.
The complainant told police that United Rentals is now claiming that the skid steer was missing, and is saying that Helios Energy owes $13,000 to United Rentals for the loss. The Helios Energy employee maintains that the skid steer was returned and was reporting a theft of the equipment.
Shoplifting Suspect Reneges on Repayment Agreement
2:15 p.m. Police responded to Frugal Fannie’s on Wilson Way where a female suspected of shoplifting and store staff were attempting to reach an agreement that would not involve police. Employees told police that the suspect is believed to have shoplifted from the store at least three different times over the past two days.
On this occasion, staff stopped the suspect - a Brookline resident - before she could leave with over $750 in shoes. They came to an agreement for repayment by the suspect, and police escorted the suspect out of the store.
However, a police report on the following day noted that the suspect did not pay for the items as agreed. The suspect will be summoned to court to answer charges of at least three counts of shoplifting. Along with the shoes, she is believed to have taken over 20 dresses and two pairs of jeans, valued at over $1,400.
Explanation Provided to Suspicious Delay in School Transport
4:45 p.m. A resident of Fensview Drive contacted police after the van transporting her son home from school was 20 minutes late arriving home. The mother was track his location live and noticed that he was in one location for a prolonged period. She reported the occurrence to police, who investigated and learned that the driver got confused on his first day of work. The driver reportedly had waited at one location, expecting a parent to show up for a child, but the driver was mistaken. No child was scheduled to be picked up by a parent at that location. When no parent showed up, the driver finally left the location, causing the child to arrive home late.
Thanks to Sergeant Christopher Elcock and Westwood Police Department for sharing information for this Westwood Minute article.
