The following are incidents selected from the Lexington Police Department logs from the week leading up to January 22, 2024. This information is not independently verified by The Lexington Observer.
Community Engagement
Tuesday, January 16 at 5:30 p.m., Chief McLean attended the quarterly Domestic Violence Services Network* Board meeting.
*“Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. works in collaboration with communities to end domestic violence. We strive to empower and educate people in ways that respect their dignity and choices while promoting their safety.”
Tuesday, January 16 at noon., a detective met with library management to discuss an upcoming safety training for their staff that he will be facilitating.
Sunday, January 21 at 6:15 p.m., a lieutenant participated in a meeting at Lexington High School concerning the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration.
Arrest
Thursday, January 18 at 11:40 a.m., a report came in from the security department at Citizens Bank of a male attempting to pass a fraudulent Citizen’s cashier’s check for $46,700. Officers were dispatched. Upon arrival, a bank employee indicated the male standing at the teller window was the individual in question. Once moved to a nearby conference room, officers placed the man under arrest. He stated he understood his rights and wished to speak with the officers about the incident. When asked, he explained how he obtained the check and what it was for. During a search incident to arrest, three additional personal checks, two debit cards, a TD Bank receipt, and an unsigned letter authorizing an individual to cash or deposit a $24,430.24 check were discovered. Based on the officers’ training and experience, they knew the checks had been “washed.” There were slight indentations on the check where it was originally written, and the officers could feel the original inscription when running their fingers over the back of the check. Additionally, there was a Chase Bank check for $1,875 and an Eastern Bank check for $2,600. When asked, the man volunteered information regarding his acquisition of the forged checks and stolen debit cards. He stated he used a website to purchase checks and debit cards. He explained he makes the purchases with Bitcoin then the items are mailed to him. He also said he had the option of printing the checks himself. He claimed this was the first time he used the website and the first time he attempted to cash a forged check. We asked him if he could log onto the website and demonstrate how he purchased the checks and debit cards, but he stated he did not remember his username or password. He was charged with uttering 1 forged instrument, 6 counts of forgery, 1 count of identity fraud, 7 counts of receiving and possession of stolen property, and 1 count of providing false information following an arrest. A Lieutenant contacted the bail commissioner who set bail at $540.
Larceny
Tuesday, January 16 at 12:50 p.m., an individual driving a private plow truck for the town stated that someone stole the door from his bobcat S650 snow machine. The approximate value is $1500. The window was not locked at the time of the theft. An area check for cameras was done but with negative results.
Tuesday, January 16 at 7:20 p.m., a Carville Ave. resident reported mailing some checks in October and was notified by his bank that there was fraudulent activity and was required to file a police report.
Friday, January 19 at 2:30 p.m., a Pleasant St. resident reported mailing an envelope containing a check in the USPS mailbox near Mass Ave and Bow Street around December 28. A few days later, this resident received an email from Bank of America stating she had insufficient funds in her account to pay the bills. Someone had altered the check and cashed it for $17,000. She reported the incident to her bank and is in the process of disputing the charges.
Saturday, January 20 at 1:45 p.m., a Baskin Rd. resident stated she was due to receive 2 iPhone 15s from Verizon on January 5. After receiving the sealed package delivered by UPS, she noticed one phone was missing. The package had been handed directly to her spouse. It was valued at $1,200. The Police Department has previously taken reports of missing iPhones after being ordered from Verizon.
Saturday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m., the manager of Domino’s reported one of the drivers had been assaulted while making a delivery on Homestead St. The driver stated that two males physically assaulted him. He believed the males were trying to rob him. There was no monetary or property loss reported. Responding officers checked the area for doorbell cameras but with negative results. This officer also checked with Mass Convenience, Nick’s Place, and the Domino’s area for cameras. No employees recalled seeing anyone matching the description the driver provided.
Animal Control
Wednesday, January 17 at 12:30 p.m., an individual called regarding a lost dog she had found. The male, lab mix with a collar (but no tags) was claimed shortly thereafter by its owner who came out and secured her dog.
Friday, January 19 at 1:45 p.m., a caller reported a sick coyote running through the area of Upland Rd. The responding officer reported he spoke with the caller and checked the area, but the coyote was gone upon his arrival.
Sunday, January 21 at 12:15 p.m., a Journey’s End Lane resident reported a loose dog in the area. The responding officer reported that the dog was returned to the Cary Ave. owner. The dog was not aggressive and was just following the caller and his dog.
*And, thank you for sharing the road… only 1 dead skunk and 1 dead turkey were reported this week.
Suspicious Activity
Tuesday, January 16 at 4:15 p.m., a caller reported a vehicle “doing donuts” at the Lincoln Field parking lot. Another call came in regarding a vehicle on the field itself. Officers spoke with the reporting party who stated the vehicle had left before their arrival. It was described as a green Highlander.
Friday, January 19 at 12:20 p.m., a USPS employee stated he noticed a vehicle pass him three times while delivering mail on Prospect Hill Rd. He provided a partial license plate but did not observe the driver. This individual was concerned due to past incidents involving USPS employees being followed. The responding officer checked the area for the vehicle but was unable to locate anything matching the description provided.
Sunday, January 21 at 9:15 a.m., a Maple Street resident reported a black Audi parked in front of her car and claimed that the passenger was rocking back and forth and that the car was not running. Responding officers spoke with the individual and discovered that the vehicle had broken down and the driver was in the process of getting help from a friend with a jumper cable. He also stated he would be contacting AAA if he were unable to reach a friend. The responding officer gave this individual the LPD phone number in case he needed a tow.
Fraud
Tuesday, January 16 at 1:55 p.m., a responding officer reported speaking to a Hancock St. resident who came in regarding a check-washing scheme.
Wednesday, January 17 at 11:30 a.m., a Vine Street resident came in to report he had been the victim of identity theft from 2018 to 2019. An unknown party opened a PayPal account in his name that he did not authorize. This resident became aware of the situation when he was contacted by Midland Credit Management, a collection agency, by way of a summons to appear at small claims court in Concord, MA. The unknown party used an old address in Marlborough where this resident had not lived for over 10 years. The total amount of theft was approximately $2,400. The small claims court case was dismissed on October 26, 2022.
Wednesday, January 17 at 12:30 p.m., a Sunny Knoll Terrace resident reported fraud involving his Uber account. On December 31st, 2023, an individual claiming to be from Uber support contacted him and requested his email address and a picture of his driver’s license. This resident texted a picture of the front and back of his license and his email address. Uber contacted this resident and informed him of the fraud. He did not provide the individual with his banking information, and he has not lost any funds. He will notify his financial institutions. This resident wanted the incident documented for potential future purposes. He came into the station to report that Uber owed him $1521.92.
Thursday, January 18 at 11:40 a.m., Citizens Bank security called to report an individual at the teller window trying to utter a check by impersonating another customer. Arrest made.
From AARP Fraud Watch – December 2023
6 Top Scams to Watch Out for in 2024 By Patrick J Kiger
“Criminals are getting more sophisticated and supercharging old scams with new technology.”
4. Virtual celebrity scam
“Celebrities have had online presences for years, but the trend really gained momentum during the pandemic, when stars who couldn’t make public appearances tried to stay connected with their fans by doing online concerts and other events on social media. Fans have become accustomed to that constant virtual intimacy, which leaves them vulnerable to celebrity scammers. “You’re on Instagram or Facebook, and someone pretending to be Celine Dion or her manager reaches out to you,” explains Amy Nofziger, director of victim support for AARP’s Fraud Watch Network. If it’s a fake manager, “They might say, ‘Celine loves your comments. She’d love to talk to you. Here’s her private account.’ ” But after you connect to an impostor pretending to be the superstar singer, the talk gradually turns to how her fortune is tied up in a lawsuit, and she could use a $50,000 loan from you, or a similar story involving a need for your money.
How to stay safe: If you get a direct message from someone claiming to be a famous performer or superstar athlete or representing them, be skeptical. It’s almost certain to be 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.