The following are incidents selected from the Lexington Police Department logs in the week leading up to April 16, 2024. LexObserver does not independently verify this information.
Community Engagement
Wednesday, April 10 at 8:35 a.m., an officer reported the Bike Train ride to Hastings School was completed without incident.
Thursday, April 11 at 2:00 p.m., Detective Chaisson gave a presentation regarding scams taking place within the community and in neighboring communities to 30 members of Temple Isaiah.
Schools: Directed Park, Lock, and Walk – a sampling.
Tuesday, April 9 at 1:00 p.m., an officer conducted a PLW at Estabrook School. He met with faculty and staff and visited the kindergarten gym class and the second graders during recess.
Thursday, April 11 at 8:20 a.m., an officer conducted a PLW of Lexington High School. She interacted with staff and students who were looking forward to their April vacation.
Friday, April 12 at 8:55 a.m., an officer conducted a PLW at Community Nursery School. He spoke with Joanne Pressman and Noni Cooper who introduced him to the students in each classroom. This officer provided his business card to set up a future PLW where the children could sit in the police cruiser. The staff advised that they have a new director, and this officer obtained contact information in case the Police Department needs to be in contact with someone after hours.
Disturbances and Suspicious Activity
Friday, April 12 at 2:15 p.m., a Detective, a Sergeant, and two officers were dispatched to the math building at Lexington High School for a fight in progress among several students. Upon arrival, officers met with students in the hallway of the 2nd floor. The social worker, along with two teachers, were attempting to separate the individuals. Two individuals were engaged in an intense argument and “getting into each other’s faces.” A knife was mentioned and due to exigency, an officer and the detective stepped in to separate and detain them until it was confirmed no one was armed. Both teachers were struck during the altercation. They were evaluated by LFD but refused to be transported. Use of force reports were completed.
Monday, April 15 at 4:05 p.m., a unit called in a disturbance that was occurring near the statue. One of the parties was getting loud with someone else, and additional units were dispatched. Upon arrival, it appeared that both parties had moved on.
Saturday, April 13 at 4:25 p.m., an individual reported a suspicious male followed her out of Stop and Shop, across the street, and into Walgreens. She stated an unknown male made some “uncomfortable statements” to her, and she wanted to speak with an officer. The responding officer arrived on scene and met with the reporting party who described the male as approximately age 50 wearing a blue T-shirt. This officer radioed other units that the male in question was walking out of the store. At this time, a middle-aged male wearing a blue T-shirt walked through the front entrance of Walgreens into the parking lot where an officer asked if he could speak with him. He agreed but said he only had a few minutes because he had to catch a flight. The male was unaware of the complaint and stated he was just picking up a prescription. The responding officer asked if he would be willing to provide his ID, and the man agreed. He was identified and then went on his way without incident. The responding officer ascertained more information from the reporting party regarding the incident, and she stated that while following her, he said, “You look familiar. There’s a government conspiracy against me.” There was no crime reported.
Animal Control
Tuesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m., on Lowell St. near Harrington School passersby reported an object in the road. They were unable to give a description. The responding officer reported it was a deceased animal.
Thursday, April 11 at 9:15 a.m., a Rolling Lane resident reported a sick or injured skunk. The responding officer checked the area, but the animal was gone on arrival.
Friday, April 12 at 12:15 p.m., an individual reported a dead raccoon on Bedford St. at Eldred. DPW was notified for removal.
Hmmm… a tough week for canines.
Friday, April 12 at 1:20 p.m., a Concord resident located a loose yellow Lab dog in the area of Millbrook Rd. The animal control officer transported the dog to the kennel. The dog was put out on social media. ACO requested officers check on it and make sure it had water until picked up and to notify him when the dog was retrieved.
Saturday, April 13 at 11:30 a.m., a Drummer Boy Way resident reported finding a golden retriever with a blue collar and Lexington dog tag. The responding officer was able to locate the dog’s owner, and a Hazel St. resident retrieved the dog.
Sunday, April 14 at 1:35 p.m., a Journeys End Lane resident reported her minor daughter had been bitten by a Dalmatian the day before on a walking path off Marrett Rd. at approximately 2:30 p.m. The reporting party stated the dog’s name was Dixie or Pixie. She obtained no information from the dog’s owner. The dog bite victim was taken to Carewell and given a tetanus shot. The responding officer reported the incident to the ACO.
Sunday, April 14 at 6:00 p.m., a caller stated there was a mid-sized black lab in her backyard. The dog had no collar, and she did not recognize the dog from the neighborhood. The responding officer reported that the dog possibly belonged to a Mass Ave. resident. Dispatch tried notifying this resident, but he did not answer. A voicemail was left. The officer went by the residence, but there was no one home. The dog was brought to the kennel and the ACO was advised. The dog was later picked up at the kennel by the owner.
Monday, April 15 at 11:30 a.m., several 911 callers reported a loose dog running in the street near Marrett Rd. and Spring St. An officer checked the area and was unable to locate the dog.
Town Bylaws
Tuesday, April 9 at 8:45 a.m., a Todd Rd. resident called in to complain about loud construction noise. The responding officer reported no noise upon her arrival. She spoke with the contractor and advised him of the bylaws.
Saturday, April 13 at 7:35 a.m., an individual in the area of Payson St. and Grasslands St. called in to report a town-by-law violation. Pro Gardener and Landscape Masonry were reported for doing landscaping work at 7:30 a.m. in violation of the noise bylaw. The start time is 9:00 a.m. on weekends. The responding officer checked the area and the truck was gone upon arrival.
Sunday, April 14 at 8:40 a.m., a Thoreau Rd. resident reported construction next door in violation of town bylaws. The responding officer reported Triad Construction was advised of the bylaw.
Fraud
*Mail check payments INSIDE the post office. The lobby is open 24/7.
Tuesday, April 9 at 11:50 a.m., a Woburn St. resident came in to report he was the victim of a check-washing scheme. He received a call from DCU Bank inquiring about one of his business checks. He confirmed the check was fraudulent and then notified his bank of the fraudulent activity. TD Bank flagged the account. They informed him he would be refunded the loss within five business days. This resident’s check was altered for $7500 made payable to Anderson Troy Buchmeyer. This resident is unsure when he wrote and mailed the check. He stated he routinely uses his mailbox at home to send outgoing mail.
Thursday, April 11 at 9:20 p.m., a Roosevelt Rd. resident reported her accountant noticed a company check was made out for approximately $27,000 to someone unfamiliar to the business. She stated that the check was altered. Citizens Bank is aware of the situation and there is no monetary loss at this time. She returned a few days later with more information regarding a second check-washing incident.
Sunday, April 14 at 7:15 p.m., a Dewey Rd. resident came in to report she had written a check to Genove Oil Company several months ago for approximately $225. After reviewing bank statements, she realized the check was washed and payable to Andon Burgos for approximately $16,000. This resident is unfamiliar with this party and had filed a report with the Bank of America fraud department.
Tuesday, April 9 at 12:40 p.m., a Cliff Ave. resident came in to report his identity was fraudulently used to open a Chimes debit card. Yesterday, when he picked up the mail, he noticed a credit/debit card under his name. He had never applied for the card, so he called the credit card company to close the account. There is no monetary loss at this time, but he wanted to document this incident. He was advised to monitor his credit report.
Saturday, April 13 at 1:10 p.m., a Taft Ave. resident came in to report she received a letter from an unknown individual claiming she was to receive money. She is not aware of who the sender is and she believes that the letter is fake. This resident went to the bank to inform them of the incident. This resident wanted the incident documented.
Monday, April 15 at 1:55 p.m., a Hayes Ave. resident came in to report she was the victim of a federal agent scam. She stated she received several phone calls from unknown men who claimed to be with HS and the US Marshall Service. The unknown men said her identity had been stolen and used in a crime in El Paso TX. They attempted to obtain her Social Security number, bank account information, and other personal identifiable information. This resident did not give her Social Security number or bank information; however, she did share her cell phone screen using a remote sharing application. She caught on to the scam when one of the unidentified callers attempted to solicit bank information after viewing her Bank of America account overview screen and her Fidelity bank account screen. She has since notified Bank of America and requested they flag her account. An officer advised her to enroll in credit monitoring, change her Wi-Fi password, and notify her cell phone carrier. She did not suffer any financial loss.
*From AARP Fraud Watch Network April 2024
There are six scams experts say you should be watching out for this year. This week:
2. Voiceprint Scams
Thanks to technological advances, it’s possible for thieves to capture a recording of your voice and then use a software program to generate an imitation “deepfake” version that can be used to impersonate you. “That voiceprint can be used to access your insurance or your financial institution or apply for a driver’s license,” Bruemmer says. The New York Times reported on a recent case in which a representative at a major bank received a call from a deepfake copy of a Florida investor’s voice, requesting that the bank move the man’s money elsewhere. Fortunately, the fraud attempt was spotted by the bank before the real investor lost his savings.
How to stay safe: To prevent your voice from being duplicated, “don’t answer the phone,” Bruemmer advises. “If someone needs to get hold of you, they can text you.” Bruemmer is cautious about answering calls that appear to be from people on his contact list since the call could be coming from a phone that’s been stolen or had its SIM card cloned, he says.
*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.