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2-23-2022 12:31am
Police Log: A Suspect in Locker Room Thefts Apprehended, Loss of $49K in Cryptocurrency Hacking
Darlene Cancell
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Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
The news described in Westwood Minute's Police Log article is primarily based on selected information from the Westwood Police Department's daily log and information provided by Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and police staff. Occasionally, a few facts from other sources may be woven into these stories.
Monday, February 14, 2022
Police arrest suspect in Life Time Fitness locker room thefts
Westwood Police apprehended an individual in connection with thefts of credit cards from lockers at Life Time Fitness. The subject was being held at Riker’s Island, New York City’s main jail complex. Officers drove to NYC to transport the suspect back to Westwood.
The apprehended individual is one of whom police suspect are possibly several perpetrators of locker room thefts in the area. An article with further details about this arrest will soon be published in Westwood Minute.
Mischief on Forbes Road
5 p.m. Police received a call from Forbes Road that two teenagers were observed going through mailboxes on that street, and ringing doorbells. The teens were described as two males in baggy pants, wearing masks. Police were unable to locate anyone.
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Two more accidents on Clapboardtree Street
7:41 a.m. A two-car accident occurred on Clapboardtree and Winter streets when a 2018 Ford, driven by a woman from Millis, crashed into a 2020 Lincoln, driven by a woman from Medway. The Lincoln was traveling east on Clapboardtree Street toward Nahatan Street when the Ford exited Winter Street from a stop sign onto Clapboardtree Street, causing the collision. The accident resulted in major damage to both vehicles that had to be towed. There were no injuries.
8:04 a.m. In another accident on Clapboardtree Street, two vehicles were both headed west on that street. A man from Norwood was driving a 2005 Toyota and stopped for a turning vehicle. He was rear-ended by a 2016 Toyota that was driven by an Easton man. Both cars were able to drive away from the scene. There were no injuries.
Phone scam targets elderly resident
2:00 p.m. Police took a report from an elderly resident of Baker Street who was the victim of a phone scam. She told police she received a text, allegedly from Amazon, on February 10, 2022. The text requested that she forward additional funds to complete a purchase or delivery. The resident used Venmo to send $3,200 to the requester before she realized it was a scam. She then contacted her local bank and Venmo. It is expected that she will receive a reimbursement of her loss once a police report is made available to the bank and Venmo.
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Identity Theft in Ellensburg
7:42 p.m. A resident of Briar Lane reported suspicious activity. He had reported a case of identity theft to police on February 12, 2022. Following that report, he received a call from someone identifying himself as “Detective Potter” from the Ellensburg Police Department. The caller told him that fraud had been committed in his name in the area of Ellensburg. The Briar Lane resident contacted Westwood Police to determine whether the call was legitimate. Westwood Police determined that there was indeed a Detective Potter with the Ellensburg Police Department in Washington State. They advised the resident to speak with the detective about the use of his personal information in Washington state.
Saturday, February 19, 2022
Pregnant or partying?
12:20 a.m. Police conducting stationary traffic speed enforcement observed a car traveling southbound on Providence Highway at a high speed. Using radar, police determined that the car was traveling at 70 m.p.h. in a 50 m.p.h. zone. Police made the traffic stop.
Upon approaching the vehicle, police found the driver, a 22 year-old man from Walpole, reclined in the driver’s seat, refusing to make eye contact. Police discovered that the driver had no license, although he was able to provide a state identification card.
The passenger, a 20 year-old woman from Dorchester, told police that she was in labor. She told police that they were headed to Boston Medical Center. Police observed that the woman was wearing formal wear and did not appear to be in distress. Additionally, the vehicle was headed southbound on Route 1, in the opposite direction from Boston Medical Center.
Police advised the woman that the driver could not continue to drive and that it would be best to call for an ambulance. The passenger responded that she would be able to drive, and exchanged seats with the young man.
Police gave the man a citation for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and for speeding, and followed the couple for a few miles as they drove away. The vehicle continued to drive southbound toward Norwood, away from the direction of Boston Medical Center.
Recovery of items from locker room theft
12:07 p.m. Police responded to Life Time Fitness to take a report of theft from a Needham resident and gym member. The Needham resident stated that he checked into Life Time Fitness at 10:15 a.m. Two hours later, he opened his locker to discover his goose down jacket and wallet were missing. The wallet contained $3,000 in cash.
Subsequent to making that report with police, the Needham resident reported that he had recovered his possessions. He had returned to the locker room and discovered his possessions in a different, unlocked locker. He believes that whoever took the items from his locker may have been interrupted or spooked, and placed them in the empty locker.
Sunday, February 20, 2022
Vandalism on Lyons Drive
9:21 a.m. Police took a report of four separate incidents of vandalism at a home on Lyons Drive. The Lyons Drive resident told police that around 10:45 p.m. on February 19, 2022, a family member was awakened, likely from the sound of the eggs being thrown at the house. The resident also reported a previous incident of eggs being thrown at the house. Additionally, tire tracks had been left on the front lawn and a large number of empty beer cans were left at the front door. Police are investigating the incidents and will be requesting video from a neighbor’s house, which may provide more information.
Monday February 21, 2022
Hack of cryptocurrency account results in loss of $49k
12:58 p.m. A resident of Clapboardtree Street, who purchased cryptocurrency through a website transaction, reported that her website account had been hacked. Her cryptocurrency profile had been changed without her authorizations and $49,000 of her funds were removed.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and the Westwood Police Department for contributing information for this article.
Updated 2/23/2022. “Bad actors” has been changed to “perpetrators” in the first log entry.
