Police Log: Small Riot Ensues During iPhone 6 Release at Dedham Apple Store

Tuesday, Sept. 16

At 4 p.m., Dedham police responded to CVS on Eastern Avenue on a report of larceny. Officers spoke with a pharmacy supervisor at the store, who said that at about 1:30 p.m. that day an unidentified man stole a pair of sunglasses from the register area of the pharmacy. Earlier that day, a CVS employee who did not work at this location had told the staff at the store that he had left a pair of sunglasses at the register area. The glasses were reportedly valued at about $300. The pharmacy staff planned to keep the sunglasses at the register until the employee could retrieve them, but then noticed that a man waiting in line to make a purchase reached behind the counter and took them, tried them on, removed them and then kept them. The man subsequently returned to the store and waited in line at the pharmacy, when police responded again to the business. Officers spoke with the man, who admitted to taking the glasses and that he had returned to give them back, though he had been wearing them on his head at the time. The glasses were returned and a criminal complaint was sought against the man.

At 5:45 p.m., a resident reported to Dedham Police an incident of potential credit card fraud after a credit card number was used for seven purchases even though the physical card was never lost or stolen. The victim was advised and also contacted his bank regarding the matter.

At 7:30 p.m., while on patrol, Dedham police responded to Stop and Shop in Dedham to assist Westwood Police in a search for a shoplifting suspect described as a white male wearing a black suit who allegedly stole items from Roche Bros. in Westwood before taking the MBTA Rte. 34E bus toward Dedham. Westwood spoke with the MBTA, which claimed that the bus had stopped at Stop and Shop; responding officers located a male suspect exiting the bus and matching the description of the suspect. As police yelled for him to stop, the man dropped his bags and began to run. After a brief foot chase, police tackled the man to the ground, and subsequently arrested the man, transporting him back to Westwood on related shoplifting charges.

Thursday, Sept. 18

At 1:50 p.m., police received a report from a man who claimed someone had made a withdrawal from his bank account at an ATM machine in Dedham, even though the man never lost his ATM card. The man reportedly cancelled his card with the bank.

At 3:26 p.m., police responded to East Street, where they arrested John J. Tower, 41, on a default warrant out of Wrentham District Court.

Friday, Sept. 19

At 6:30 a.m., police responded to Legacy Place at the Apple Store on a report of a riot in progress. Customers had been reportedly allowed to leave their vehicles and get in line at the store for the release of the new iPhone 6. All customers had been “bunched up in a big group” with several hundred people in line upon police arrival. Officers were able to move the line back from the doors so the store itself could be opened, and continued to push customers back and have them line up away from the store. At 7:30 a.m., employees at the store began to take names and begin the process of the release. No other disturbances were reported.

At 8 a.m., police received a report of a vehicle being entered, from which several items were reportedly taken. The vehicle was unlocked and no damage was reported.

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