The following are incidents selected from the Lexington Police Department logs in the weeks leading up to November 27, 2023. The Lexington Observer does not independently verify this information.
Community Engagement
Monday, November 13 at 6:00 p.m., an officer gave a lecture on safety protocol to a group from Shishu Bharati. The school is interested in having its entire staff trained for the possibility of an active threat.
Tuesday, November 14 at 4:30 p.m., an officer assisted the Arlington Police Department with running a RadKids program at Arlington High School for 20 youths. This activity was repeated on November 21.
Sunday, November 19 at 4:05 p.m., an officer attended a Thanksgiving service and reception at Follen Church. At 5:35, another officer joined.
Friday, November 24 at 5:30 p.m., the Community Relations Officer participated in the Lexington Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Arrest
Thursday, November 16 at 5:30 p.m., a Reading resident reported witnessing a car crash into a pole at the intersection of Westwood Rd. and Adams Street. A Canton resident was placed in custody and charged with Failure to Stay Within Marked Lanes, Operating a M/V Under the Influence (Liquor), and Operating a M/V Recklessly So As To Endanger. Responding officers spoke with May who smelled of alcohol, slurred her speech, and was unsteady on her feet. She changed her story regarding the cause of the collision and refused to take the Standardized Field Sobriety Test and the portable breathalyzer test. She was placed under arrest and handcuffed without incident. Before being placed in the cruiser, an officer read the Miranda Warnings that she understood, and she stated she was no longer willing to speak with officers. The Bail Commissioner set bail at $40 for personal recognizance.
Animal Control and Complaint
Tuesday, November 14 at 8:20 p.m., reports of a loose dog in the grassy area of the off-ramp from 2 W to Watertown St. came in. The responding officer did not locate the dog, and the State Police were notified.
Wednesday, November 15 at 10:40 a.m., The Animal Control Officer responded to a Spring Street address regarding a dog locked in a car. The ACO checked the vehicle and there was no longer a dog in it. The ACO followed up with the owner and advised her of Massachusetts laws.
Wednesday, November 15 at 9:50 p.m., a Maureen Rd. resident reported striking a coyote. He reported the injured coyote ran into the woods, and he was unable to locate it. There was no damage to his vehicle.
Sunday, November 19 at 3:45 p.m., a Crosby Rd. resident called to report her new neighbors leaving their barking dog out for hours. Responding officers spoke to the owners and advised them of the complaint through the child who spoke English. The dog was brought inside, and the Animal Control Officer was informed.
Tuesday, November 21 at 2:30 p.m., reports of a coyote on the Bridge School field came in. The Animal Control Officer reported that the coyote had left the area before his arrival.
Saturday, November 25, at 9:55 a.m., a Ledgelawn Ave. resident reported an injured deer lying down behind this location. The animal appeared to have been struck by a motor vehicle and was put down with two rounds. DPW was notified for removal.
Dispute, Disturbance, and Noise Complaint
Saturday, November 25 at 2:50 p.m., a call came in from the Lexington Community Center regarding a verbal altercation between two individuals. Officers arrived on the scene and reported that most parties were gone upon arrival. The youth-family program coordinator stated the dispute was a verbal argument that started over the rules of a game of pool. He stated that an older individual yelled at a juvenile and was told to “shut up” by one of the youths. The program coordinator stated nothing physical had occurred, and there were no bans or restrictions from the facility planned for any involved. He requested a follow-up with the police.
Saturday, November 25 at 11:25 a.m., an employee at Citizens Bank called 911 requesting police assistance for an aggressive party in the lobby who was arguing and refusing to leave. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the teller and reporting party. She stated the unwanted customer had fled the scene before police arrival. Officers gave the reporting party a Trespass form for the branch manager to complete.
Sunday, November 26 at 8:45 p.m., a Mass Ave resident called stating a car alarm was going off in the back of the Lexington Toyota parking lot. This caller stated the alarm had been going off every 15 to 20 minutes for the past couple of hours. The responding officer reported checking the parking lot for 20 minutes and found no alarm or any other disturbance going on.
Suspicious Activity – Persons and Motor Vehicles
Monday, November 13 at 4:00 p.m., a realtor came into the station to report suspicious activity that had occurred at an open house on Allen Street on Saturday 11/11. He reported a male entered the house, and his behavior was “off.” He stayed for 45 minutes and produced a business card with the name Roshaun Pettaway on it. Both realtors had a “bad feeling” about this person, so they investigated him. They Googled the name and were able to identify the person in the picture as the same person who was at the open house. The name given to them was Roshaun Pettaway and he is a level two sex offender with a violent history of kidnapping, armed robbery, and indecent A&B and has open cases in Superior Court. This realtor took a picture of the vehicle that Pettaway was driving. This vehicle’s Ma registration 2 X FS5 came back to a Hertz rental car. This man did not have an active driving status. No crime was committed, but the behavior of this individual was suspicious.
Wednesday, November 15 at 12:20 a.m., a Charles St. resident called to report a white BMW with NH plates cruising around his neighborhood. He was concerned because he didn’t recognize the vehicle, and it seemed suspicious as it circled the neighborhood. Responding officers spoke with this individual who confirmed the above. He also stated that when he shone a light on the vehicle, it took off. Officers confirmed the situation and advised a call back if there were any further incidents.
Thursday, November 16 at 6:45 p.m., a Mass Ave. resident called to report her neighbor saw a tall man with a flashlight walking around her house. Once the neighbor shined a light on the individual, he took off in the direction of School St. Responding officers checked the area with negative findings.
Saturday, November 25 at 4:30 a.m., a Mass Ave. resident reported an unknown male standing at her front door. Responding officers checked the property and all appeared in order. While speaking with her, the officer observed a bump on her head. She stated she fell earlier in the night. Responding officers called the Lexington Fire Department who transported her to Lahey.
Larceny, Burglary, and Breaking and Entering
Thursday, November 16 at 11:55 a.m., a Percy Road resident came into the station to report the funds on a Visa gift card he purchased on November 10 had been stolen. He reported a loss of $500.
Thursday, November 16 at 5:20 p.m., a Reed St. resident called to report his partner’s vehicle had been broken into and her purse was stolen from the passenger seat. The responding officer spoke with both and observed that the passenger’s window had been smashed out. They stated they went for a walk at 4:45 p.m. and returned to their vehicle at 5:15 p.m. There were no credit cards, money, or checks in the purse. There was a Chromebook inside the purse. A detective was notified to process the scene.
Saturday, November 18 at 3:00 p.m., an officer at the Minuteman National Park called and stated there was a car break-in at the Wood Street parking lot. He stated the back window had been smashed. There were no witnesses to the encounter, and it was unknown if any items were lost. He requested officers and a detective on the scene to check out the vehicle. A Lexington Police detective responded and processed the scene.
Tuesday, November 21 at 8:15 a.m., a Winchester Dr. job site contractor called regarding a breaking and entering at his construction site. He reported sometime during the night hours his construction trailer, parked at the residence, was entered by prying the side door open and multiple items were stolen. He had a detailed list of approximately $15,000 worth of tools that were removed. A detective was notified to process the scene.
Friday, November 24 at 4:55 p.m., a Greenwood St. resident reported his wallet had been stolen sometime before 11/22. This resident stated in an email that his wallet was stolen in Bedford at Great Clips. Then, after speaking with an officer, he was unsure if it was there or at the Waltham YMCA. He stated he noticed it was missing when his bank called him and asked if he had purchased multiple PlayStation accessories. He was able to freeze his cards without any monetary loss.
Fraud
Monday, November 13 at 11:40 a.m., an April Lane resident came in to report he was the victim of identity theft. He discovered an AT&T cell phone account had recently been opened in his name using his current address. He was unaware of anyone who had access to his personal information. He notified AT&T of the incident and they requested he file a report with the Police Department. He also notified the Federal Trade Commission of the identity theft and is enrolled in credit monitoring. He has not discovered any other fraudulent activity. There is no monetary loss. AT&T has sent him several bills over $300 worth of charges relating to the account.
Tuesday, November 14 at 2:45 p.m., a Katahdin Dr. resident came in to report she was the victim of fraud. She stated she received a message from Julie Leach via Facebook about potential government benefits. She provided Leach with a picture of her license and her debit card. A brief time thereafter, she realized this might be a scam and reported it to her bank, which closed her accounts and issued a new debit card. There is no monetary loss at this time. An officer advised her to closely monitor all her accounts and contact the police if she noticed any suspicious activity.
Friday, November 17 at 11:55 a.m., a Shire Way resident called to report receiving threats to kill via text messages from an unknown party. The sender of the messages claimed to be in the cartel and was attempting to scam him for money. Watertown and Cambridge Police Departments were notified for patrol requests since he lives there and both addresses were referenced in the text message. He was advised not to respond and to cease all communication. He stated his accounts appeared to be in order and no suspicious activity had occurred. Allied Services Security was notified at his place of employment and spoke with him regarding a plan for whenever he is on the premises.
Monday, November 20 at 4:30 p.m., a Burroughs Rd. resident reported his financial advisor told him that an unknown party opened a fraudulent investment account with Charles Schwab Financial Services. This resident reported no monetary loss at this time. An anonymous person attempted to open a Charles Schwab account using his personal information in March 2021. He was notified on October 17, 2023, when he tried to open his own Charles Schwab account. Tiffany de Souza of the Charles Schwab fraud department advised him that the account never held any money or was able to be activated because there was never any photo identification provided. This resident made notifications to his financial advisor, contacted the FBI, reported the activity to his bank and credit card institutions, and froze his credit report on all three major credit unions. He wanted to notify his local Police Department should he need any information for insurance purposes. There is no monetary loss at this time. He was given Federal Trade Commission and Identity Theft pamphlets.
**From ARP’s Fraud Watch – AARP Bulletin October 2023 – A Visual Guide to Fraud. Look for Signs That You’re Being Stalked by Crooks, Amy Nofziger, and Mark Fetterhoff.
5. “Consumers lost 228 million in gift card scams in 2022 says the Federal Trade Commission. Scammers prefer them because they have fewer protections for buyers compared with payment options such as credit cards. And the transaction is largely irreversible. If you are asked to pay for something by sending the codes off a gift card, it is very likely a scam.”
The Lexington Police Department updates its call log on Monday mornings. LexObserver coverage is a sampling of incidents and is not an exhaustive list. Logs are available for public viewing.