Police Log: Another Catalytic Converter Theft, Breaking and Entering, Theft Thwarted

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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, March 28, 2022

Wanted on two warrants

4:29 p.m. A police officer conducting stationary traffic enforcement in front of the Fire Station on Washington Street ran the plates of a passing grey Honda Accord and discovered its owner had two warrants for his arrest from Brighton District Court and West Roxbury District Court.

After making the traffic stop, police determined the driver was the vehicle owner and placed him under arrest. He is a 33 year-old from Hyde Park. Police transported him to the Dedham House of Correction that evening, where he was held without bail.

Catalytic converter theft from University Station parking lot

5:25 p.m. A Boston resident reported the theft of the catalytic converter from her 2005 Honda Element. The woman parked her vehicle in the University Station parking lot while she worked her shift at Wegmans. When her midday shift ended, she started her car. It was making an unusual noise and was running roughly. She drove it to a repair shop, where it was discovered to have had the catalytic converter cut out from the exhaust system.

One thing leads to another and theft thwarted

6:09 p.m. A police officer was conducting handicap parking enforcement at University Station when the officer noticed a black Ford Explorer without a handicap placard. The officer observed a group of two men and two women carrying a 50-inch flat screen TV toward the vehicle. The officer engaged the group in a conversation.

While the officer conversed with the group, a Target employee came out of the store and told the officer that two of the people in the group had removed the TV from Target without paying. The suspects replied that they dropped the receipt in the store and that the receipt was with another party who was not present.

A second police unit responded to the scene, and the individuals were given trespass notices. Police additionally gave the driver of the Ford Explorer a citation for parking in a handicap spot. The four suspects will head to court on shoplifting charges. They are residents of Boston, Revere, Stoughton and Norwood.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Former employee persuaded to return school district property

11:05 a.m. The School Resource Officer at Westwood High School took a report from a district employee who complained that a former employee was refusing to return a Chrome book that had been issued as part of her employment with the district. Previous attempts to retrieve the Chrome book had been unsuccessful.

The School Resource Officer contacted the employee, a woman from Brockton, and advised her to return the Chrome book or face charges for stealing. The Brockton woman agreed to make arrangements to return the Chrome book.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Vandalism in Wegmans parking lot

5:28 p.m. A man from Walpole reported to police vandalism that occurred around 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. that day. He had parked his BMW M5 sedan in the Wegmans parking lot. When he returned to his vehicle, he found it had been keyed on the rear passenger side panel. Police will follow-up with a review of security footage from Wegmans.

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Thursday, March 31, 2022

Found wandering far from home

10:56 a.m. Police responded to a complaint of a man who had been observed walking through the parking lot and looking through vehicle windows at 1 University Avenue, the address where Tastefully Done Cafe and Catering is located. Police conversed with the man who was from New Jersey. The man gave police his brother’s phone number in Rhode Island. Police learned from the brother that the man may have left a mental healthcare facility. Police transported the man to Beth Israel Deaconess Needham for an evaluation. The man’s brother will plan to travel to retrieve him.

Fraud on business account

1:01 p.m. A resident of Pine Lane reported that a few days earlier, an individual identified as Devante Thompson had made two fraudulent electronic payments from the resident’s business account. The withdrawals were in the amounts of $1,482.83 and $1,012.62. The victim closed his bank account and reopened a new one.

Theft related to smartphone application

1:47 p.m. A Beverly resident visiting her mother in Westwood reported being texted by a stranger claiming to be connected to Santander Bank. She had also discovered fraudulent transactions on a smartphone cash application involving her bank. The total loss was estimated to be $2,000. The Beverly resident was advised to delete the cash application from her smartphone.

Friday, April 1, 2022

Breaking and entering interrupted

1:49 p.m. A resident of Colby Way reported an attempted breaking and entering. The resident works from a home office, and told police that a short while earlier, two white men in dark hoodies and pants knocked on her front door. She did not answer and they walked away.

A little later, the resident heard loud banging. She saw a dark, grey pickup in the street in front of her home. She checked downstairs. It appeared as though there had been an attempt to break through the rear door of the attached garage. The door appeared to have been forced or kicked open. Detectives responded and the case is under investigation.

Saturday, April 2, 2022

Long-lost relatives?

10:15 a.m. A Norfolk resident visiting her grandmother in Westwood learned that her grandmother was receiving calls from people claiming to be relatives. The callers asked for personal information. Police advised the Norfolk resident to contact her grandmother’s banks and credit card companies and put them on notice of possible fraud.

Sunday, April 3, 2022

Breaking and entering in Islington Center

7:09 a.m. An employee, who works for the owner/developer of the new commercial building at the corner of Washington and East Streets, contacted police to report a breaking and entering. Two doors in the new building had been broken, and a window had been smashed with a brick. Display cases inside the Chic Boutique Consignment shop were broken. Additionally, two high-end handbags, a woman’s watch, cash, and miscellaneous were stolen. The total loss reported was about $3000. The break-in is believed to have occurred between 2:30 p.m. Saturday to Sunday morning.

Police serves as witness

11:45 a.m. A Westwood Police officer was at South Shore Plaza in Braintree when he saw a homeless man assault two mall employees. The Westwood officer informed Braintree Police and gave a statement. Based on the description given, and prior encounters at the mall, Braintree Police believe they know who the homeless man is.

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

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