The following incidents were selected from the Lexington Police Department log during the week leading up to October 6. The Lexington Observer does not independently verify this information.
Community Engagement
Tuesday, October 1 at 10:00 am., Detective Chaisson managed a police table at the Wellness Fair for seniors. Afterward, Detective Chaisson was the guest speaker for the fair. He presented information regarding current scams in Lexington that often target seniors.
Wednesday, October 2 at 6:05 p.m., Detective Dunbar visited Temple Emunah as they began celebrations for the Jewish New Year.
Wednesday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m., Chief McLean attended an Arlington community meeting regarding recent incidents involving dogs versus pedestrians at the Arlington Reservoir.
Friday, October 4 at 8:25 a.m., officers assisted with the Hastings School Bike Train which occurred without incident.
Directed Park, Lock, and Walk – Schools
Officers made 10 visits to elementary schools, 1 to a middle school, and 1 to the high school. *During a visit to Harrington School, the officer reported checking in, interacting with staff and students, and familiarizing herself with the school’s layout.
Suspicious Activity
Monday, September 30 at 6:40 a.m., the Parking Meter Monitor reported an individual using a screwdriver to dislodge coins from parking meters. The responding officers spoke with this Wellesley resident who stated he collects stuck change and picks up cans for recycling. He donates what he collects to the Jimmy Fund. He said he didn’t realize he was doing anything wrong. The responding officer explained the money was town property, and he was not allowed to tamper with the meters. The man said the meters were jammed, and he could grab the coins with pliers. According to the PMM, there was no damage to the meters.
Monday, September 30 at 12:50 p.m., a Garfield St. resident reported hearing a ticking noise while standing outside her mother’s house. She believed it was coming from a backpack in front of Garfield Park. Responding officers reported the suspicious package to the State Police Bomb Squad for a bomb and rescue response. It turned out to be an animal deterrent device in the garden belonging to the resident. Lexington notified the MSP with the information and canceled their request.
Tuesday, October 1 at 8:17 a.m., a Sheridan St. resident reported a silver Toyota in front of his house where the occupants appeared to be having sexual relations. The responding officer reported the vehicle left before her arrival. She checked the area but did not locate the car.
Thursday, October 3 at 12:05 p.m., a Muzzey St. caller reported working outside and finding a canister of nitric or nitrous oxide in the bushes. The responding officer checked the area and discovered trash had been discarded nearby.
Friday, October 4 at 11:35 a.m., a caller reported hearing what sounded like two gunshots behind her house. Two units investigated and found nothing. A responding officer spoke with two detail officers nearby and stated the sound heard was the tailgate of a dump truck left open that slammed into the rear of the truck.
Animal Control
*An unfortunate week for a malnourished dog and a stuck skunk.
Monday, September 30 at 1:25 p.m., a caller reported a dog running loose near Allen St. and Waltham St. The caller stated they would contact the owners if they caught the dog. The ACO was notified.
Saturday, October 5 at 10:05 a.m., a Dee Rd. resident called asking for assistance saving a stuck skunk beside his house. The responding officer reported that the skunk was stuck in a soccer net. An attempt was made to contact the ACO, and a message was left. Dispatch contacted wildlife agencies, rehabbers, the Environmental Police, and LFD. All were unable to respond at that time. The officer advised this resident to call a wildlife removal service to rectify the situation.
Saturday, October 5 at 4:50 p.m., a caller reported a loose dog near Lincoln Street and Birch Hill Lane. The medium-sized black dog was emaciated and without any collar or identification. The responding officer checked but did not locate the dog.
*Reminder: Collared and tagged, leashed dogs usually do not get lost or hungry. Thanks for protecting your pets.
Larceny
Saturday, October 5 at 2:40 p.m., Fairland St. residents reported a package taken from their front porch. The responding officers spoke with the individuals, and they said an iPhone was in the stolen package.
Sunday, October 6 at 6:35 p.m., a Captain Parker Arms resident reported his wallet stolen from his unlocked vehicle at the track. On October 5, he parked his vehicle at the town pool lot on Worthen Rd. from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. He said he put his wallet underneath the driver’s mat. Later at home, he didn’t check for his wallet in the vehicle. The next morning, it was gone. Various credit cards had been used at the Burlington Mall.
Fraud
Tuesday, October 1 at 1:05 p.m., a Main Campus Drive resident reported she had been the victim of a scam involving a timeshare. She claimed she had sent $3 million through 22 wire transfers to Prospective Realty since March 2024 as part of a real estate transaction. She recently suspected the deal was fraudulent and reported the incident to the FBI via IC3 and wanted to have the incident documented with the Police Department.
Wednesday, October 2 at 7:50 a.m., a Tyler Rd. resident reported he had been the victim of wire fraud. In July 2024, a woman contacted him through WhatsApp. She informed this resident she was a financial expert with HTX (a Hong Kong company). She offered him an “investment opportunity” involving cryptocurrency. He transferred $150,000 on October 1 to HTX. He realized he was a victim of fraud when he attempted to retrieve money from HTX. He has contacted Citizens Bank fraud department and reported the incident. His accounts are frozen, and the fraud department intercepted the transfer. They are currently working with him to retrieve the funds.
Friday, October 4 at 2:15 p.m., a Solomon Pierce resident reported receiving a letter from the Massachusetts Unemployment Department regarding a claim. He had not applied for benefits, but an unknown person had utilized his personal information to attempt to collect funds. He was advised to visit the mass.gov website and fill out the fraud form regarding this scam. The Unemployment Department of Massachusetts’ fraud department deals with these cases.
Friday, October 4 at 4:20 p.m., a Main Campus Drive resident reported threats made to her via e-mail about posting revealing photos of her on social media. The responding officer reported this resident had received multiple emails from numerous different users in her junk/ spam mail claiming to have nude photos they were going to post. This resident stated she had not sent out any nude photographs and did not know who these users were. An officer reminded her not to give out personal information or click any links from unknown emails or suspicious usernames. She was advised to contact her email provider regarding spam mail and better filtering for scam emails.
September Stats
Assisting Fire Department 84
Animal Control 21
Community Relations 9
Cruiser Check: House 10, Business 233, Person 28, General 71
Cruiser Check: Total 342
Directed Traffic 150
Directed PLW 41
Fraud 13
*The Lexington Police Department updates its call log on Monday mornings. Lexington Observer coverage is a sampling of incidents and is not an exhaustive list. Logs are available for public viewing.
Has the community center ever hosted a seminar on fraud and scams to educate residents so they can be alert to (and) aware of before they are victimized? Seems like many elderly are vulnerable to these scams.