The following are incidents selected from the Lexington Police Department logs in the week leading up to February 19. This information is not independently verified by The Lexington Observer.
Community Engagement
Wednesday, February 14 at 2:00 p.m., Detectives Ducharme and Sullivan met with members of START (Substance Use, Treatment, Awareness, and Recovery Team) at the Community Center. START includes members from the Lexington Police Dept, Public Health, Human Services, Lexington Fire Dept, and other representatives from the town. START organized the purchasing of Naloxone kits that were packaged together at this meeting. The Naloxone kits contain Narcan and other items to combat an opioid overdose. Detective Sullivan introduced the community resource dog, Lexie, to members of START.
Thursday, February 15 at 1:00 p.m., Captains Mazerall and Barry, and Sergeant Bresnihan attended the first meeting regarding Patriots Day 2024 held in the Selectmen’s meeting room with all other stakeholders for that day.
Friday, February 16 at 11:00 a.m., Captain Barry attended the weekly meeting for the Emergency Assistance Shelter – the Element Hotel location.
Thursday, February 15 at 2;05 p.m., an officer conducted a Directed Park, Lock and Walk (DPLW) at the Estabrook School. He joined the 1st and 4th grade classes for recess, held a Q&A with the students, and took a class photo with 1st graders. DPLW takes place in Lexington Schools on a regularly scheduled basis as uniformed officers interact with students, faculty, and staff. These visits serve several purposes including opportunities for officers to familiarize themselves with the layout of school buildings, to meet classroom teachers and support staff, and a myriad of opportunities for students to observe the ways officers serve their community.
Arrest
Thursday, February 15 at 4:00 40 p.m., a call came in regarding a pickup truck parked partially on Lowell St. near Woburn St., causing a hazard. The responding officer reported the operator appeared to be asleep behind the wheel. The vehicle had the keys in the ignition and the dashboard was lit up indicating the vehicle’s electrical system was powered on. The officer opened the unlocked door and detected the odor of alcohol. The officer tapped, shook, and poked the driver. He stretched his arms, sat up, groaned, and then hunched back over with his arms folded. At this time, the officer requested an additional unit to respond. A sergeant arrived on scene and the officer woke the man fully. The officer detected a strong odor of freshly burned marijuana. Also, there was a puddle of fluid on the dry roadway just outside the driver’s door. When asked, the driver presented his Brazilian passport but stated that he did not have a Brazilian driver’s license. This driver spoke Spanish and Portuguese and he understood a moderate amount of English. One of the officers assisted when translation was necessary. During the conversation, it was clear this driver’s eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred. Standard on-scene field sobriety tests were administered along with stepping heel-to-toe. He missed 7 of the first 9 steps. At this point, based on the officers’ observations the determination was that he was operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. He also admitted to consuming marijuana and alcohol.
The man was placed under arrest. The officer read his Miranda rights to him and he stated he understood. He was transported to the Lexington police station and booked. He agreed to take a breath test after officers observed him for more than 15 minutes. He was able to complete the breath sample. Police issued Massachusetts uniform citations for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and the unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Animal Control
Friday, February 16 at 10:35 a.m., a Concord Ave. resident reported an injured deer with damaged legs. The responding officer reported that the deer had managed to run off into the woods before his arrival.
Disturbance – Neighbors and General
Tuesday, February 13 at 6:45 p.m., a Main Campus Drive resident reported an ongoing issue with her neighbor. She stated she lives alone with her child and explained when he is home from school during the day, he is sometimes difficult to control and does make noise using the stairway. During “quiet hours” she makes sure he is in bed and calm. She claimed new neighbors complained about the noises her son was making and contacted the leasing company. The company has come by this resident’s apartment to assist with the noise situation by improving the soundproofing of the walls. The responding officer spoke with the neighbor and explained the situation. This neighbor stated that the situation was unacceptable. She has a child also who is affected by the noise made next door. Both the neighbor and resident stated that the leasing company is aware of the problem and taking steps to improve the situation, but they want it noted that the police have been notified.
Thursday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m., a detective responded when a Manor Terrace resident arrived at Harrington School unannounced and caused a disturbance. This is after concerning emails were sent to the school staff. This resident left without incident. The school has been advised to contact the Police Department if this parent shows up again. There is currently no reason to be at the school as his child is at home awaiting out-of-district placement.
Suspicious Activity – Motor Vehicle
Sunday, February 18 at 10:30 a.m., a Wyman Rd. resident walked into the station to report that while walking home from Clark Middle School on Friday, February 2 around 3:30 p.m., a beige car drove by her and the driver, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, pointed a “finger gun” in her direction. She stated that the vehicle did not stop. She did not recognize the vehicle or the driver and did not recall a license plate or any vehicle description. This resident informed the Clark Middle School of the incident and wanted to make proper documentation with the police.
Larceny
Wednesday, February 14 at 12:55 p.m., a Blodgett Rd. resident came into the station to report a lost Louis Vuitton petite Belize bag worth approximately $9,100. She last noticed the bag in its box in her closet in September 2023. She believed her “cleaning lady” either threw it away accidentally or stole it. She reported no prior incidents with her cleaning help regarding stealing and has worked with her for a couple of years. The Nest camera footage shows this individual taking the trash out after cleaning on January 11, 2024. In one of the trash bags, a box matching the description of the Louis Vuitton box appeared to be inside. The video showed this cleaning person walking out toward the driveway, but there is a possibility that she could have thrown the bag away as there is no camera from that angle or facing the trash.
Fraud
Thursday, February 15 at 9:20 a.m., a Marrett Rd. resident walked into the station asking to speak with an officer regarding online fraud. An officer spoke with her regarding her Facebook account being hacked, and her eight-year-old daughter being posted to solicit money fraudulently.
Thursday, February 15 at 11:20 a.m., a Tyler Rd. resident walked into the station asking to speak with an officer regarding fraud. This resident reported she sent money to an individual to purchase a Maltipoo puppy and never received the dog.
Friday, February 16 at 12:25 p.m., a Maple St. resident called asking to speak with an officer regarding her bank card being compromised with a skimmer. The responding officer spoke with this resident who last used her card at a parking meter at Peet’s Coffee. She stated she recently used the card, and she is receiving fraud alerts from her bank. There were no transactions, so no money was lost, and the card was canceled. The responding officer checked locations with negative results for devices/skimmers.
Saturday, February 17 at 8:05 a.m., a Bruce Rd. resident called and asked to speak with an officer. He reported he clicked a pop-up on his laptop screen and it directed him to call the phone number for a “Microsoft support team.” Now, someone is controlling his laptop computer. The responding officer reported this resident fell victim to an online scam and is out $9,000. He is actively working with his bank to recover the money.
Sunday, February 18 at 1:15 p.m., a Waltham St. resident reported he was a victim of a gift card fraud scheme. This resident stated he spent $16,000 on Home Depot gift cards.
IDENTITY THEFT – from EQUIFAX
“Identity (ID) theft occurs when a stranger gains access to your personal information without your knowledge or consent. An ID thief may use your information to open lines of credit in your name or submit applications for things like employment, insurance coverage, or housing.
If left unchecked, identity theft could negatively impact your credit reports and credit scores or make it difficult for you to reach personal financial goals. So, it’s important to understand the different types of ID theft, how they occur, and what you can do to protect yourself and your personal information.”
- Financial identity theft. This is the most common form of identity theft — when someone uses another person’s information for financial gain. For instance, an ID thief may use your bank account or credit card numbers to steal money or make purchases, or they may use your Social Security number to open a new credit card. What you can do: Some criminals may start by making small credit or debit charges in hopes you don’t notice them. So, check your account statements regularly. If you see a charge you don’t recognize, contact your bank or credit card company.
*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.