🌱 Patch AM: Why Back Bay’s Dick’s Sporting Goods is central to Boston’s shoplifting surge

Coffee in hand, Back Bay? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Why Back Bay’s Dick’s Sporting Goods is central to Boston’s shoplifting surge

Also on today's calendar: United in Prevention: Human Trafficking Current Trends and Prevention Strategies Conference 2026 and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: Playing golf is bad for your brain. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Breezy; a morning flurry, with a high of 32 and low of 14 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Mostly sunny, breezy and cold, temps: high: 27, low: 18.
• Saturday: Partial sunshine, with a high of 31 and low of 21 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Boston Police Blotter: Suspected serial shoplifter arraigned (bostonherald.com) — A Back Bay Dick’s Sporting Goods on Boylston Street has been repeatedly targeted in alleged shoplifting incidents, prompting charges against a Boston man and a court-ordered stay-away from the store. Boston police say shoplifting arrests citywide have surged amid a new Safe Shopping Initiative, with officers responding to numerous larceny and burglary calls in just one recent 24-hour period.
   

📸 Around Back Bay

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Back Bay

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★ Featured events ★

Wednesday April 15

• United in Prevention: Human Trafficking Current Trends and Prevention Strategies Conference 2026
  Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor, 101 Harborside Dr, Boston
  1:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday January 3

• Junk Journaling
  Egleston Square Branch Library , 2044 Columbus Avenue , Roxbury
  3:00 pm

Tuesday January 6

• LEGO Builders Challenge (Drop-in)
  Egleston Square Branch Library , 2044 Columbus Avenue , Roxbury
  3:30 pm

Wednesday January 7

• 2026 Discover Boating New England Boat Show, in partnership with Progressive
  415 Summer St , Boston
  12:00 pm
• Creativity Club (drop-in)
  Egleston Square Branch Library , 2044 Columbus Avenue , Roxbury
  3:30 pm
• Boston Teachers Union: Homework Help
  Egleston Square Branch Library , 2044 Columbus Avenue , Roxbury
  4:00 pm

Thursday January 8

• Tech Help (By Appointment)
  Egleston Square Branch Library , 2044 Columbus Avenue , Roxbury
  10:30 am

Saturday January 10

• Saturday Science (ages 4-8)
  Egleston Square Branch Library , 2044 Columbus Avenue , Roxbury
  10:30 am
• Kids Paint Nite w/ Lydia Jane
  Fenway Community Center , 1282 Boylston Street , Boston
  2:00 pm
• Adult Paint Nite w/ Lydia Jane
  Fenway Community Center , 1282 Boylston Street , Boston
  5:00 pm

📣 Back Bay Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday January 1

• Doris & Nancy's Beginner 1 and Beginner 3/Intermediate 1 classes
  Watertown Free Public Library Watertown Savings Bank Room (1st floor) , 123 Main St, Watertown, MA, 02472
  9:00 am
• Beg 1, Beg 2, Beg 3, Int 1, Int 2, and Advanced Sept-May English Classes
  Watertown Free Public Library Offsite Watertown, MA, 02472
  6:30 pm

Friday January 2

• Story Time (Ages 0-5)
  South Boston Branch Library , 646 East Broadway , South Boston
  10:30 am
• ESOL Conversation Group
  Faneuil Branch Library , 419 Faneuil Street , Brighton
  11:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Back Bay PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
• Brick Marketing - Digital Agency — (781) 999-1222
  Brick Marketing, a Boston digital marketing agency.
• Dogtopia of Dedham — (475) 338-3501
  Dogtopia – Dog Daycare, Boarding, Spa & Wellness
• Dependable Cleaners — (617) 471-1900
  Discover the Dependable Difference!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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🗞 Nearby News

South End

• FoMu in Boston's South End Has Closed (blogspot.com)
• Disney's role in fueling middle-class resentment was Media Nation's top post of 2025 (dankennedy.net)

North End

• Mayor Michelle Wu Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Community Center in North End (einpresswire.com)
• Boston, mark your calendars: Here are big events scheduled for 2026 (wcvb.com)
• Planning Department Advances Zoning Reforms In Support of New Housing, Small Businesses (einpresswire.com)

Boston

Ok Back Bay! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I just heard a golfer say he had four strokes on the first hole!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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