Police Log: Suspicious 'NSTAR' Phone Call to Waterford's Deemed Potential Scam

Monday, Sept. 1

At about 7:15 a.m., Dedham police responded to the U.S. Post Office to speak with a delivery driver, who claimed that the door handle to an entrance to the building was broken. Officers investigated the cargo bay area and found nothing out of place.

At 11:48 a.m., police responded to Stop & Shop on a report of an attempted larceny. Officers spoke with Loss Prevention at the store, which claimed an unidentified man filled a grocery cart with diapers and laundry detergent, with a total value of about $271, then walked out of the store without trying to pay for the items. When staff approached the man, he reportedly abandoned the cart and fled onto Providence Highway. Officers checked the area but were unable to find the suspect. The store was able to recover all items.

At 12:30 p.m., a local resident reported that her vehicle had been entered overnight, as the back left window was left half-way down, and there were no signs of forced entry. A Garmin GPS device, valued at $200, and a car safety kit, valued at $20, were missing from the vehicle.

At 2:14 p.m., police responded to CVS on Bussey Street on a report of an uncooperative shoplifter. Police spoke with a store manager who said a man had walked out of the store without paying for a package of pens worth about $5. Video surveillance revealed the man place a package of pens from the store into a plastic CVS bag he carried into the store, then walk out without paying. The man was verbally trespassed from the store.

At about 6:14 p.m., police responded to Ocean State Job Lot on a report of a shoplifter who had fled the store. The suspect was described as a white male wearing a black jacket and riding a bike. He allegedly took several shirts and was last seen headed in the direction of Dick’s Sporting Goods. Police were able to locate an individual matching the suspect’s description near Washington Street. When the suspect saw police, he turned onto Lower East Street and when officers followed, he was no where to be seen, but then saw him on foot without the bag or bicycle. When police asked him to place his hands behind his back, he stated he did not have tee shirts before police asked him any questions. Officers arrested the man on shoplifting charges.

Thursday, Sept. 4

At about 11:17 a.m., police responded to Stop & Shop on a rep ort that two shoplifters were detained in the parking lot. Officers spoke with a store manager, who said that staff observed one man fill his cart with items totalling about $533.36, then leave the store into the parking lot without paying. Officers arrested William Bush on shoplifting charges.

At around 5:21 p.m., police received a report that a blue Jackson wheelbarrow had been stolen from the back of a Ford F150 pickup truck. The wheelbarrow was valued at about $100.

At 8:55 p.m., police responded to Sears on a report of a shoplifter in custody. Officers spoke with Loss Prevention, who said the suspect was seen picking multiple pieces of clothing and placing them into her shopping cart, then passed all points of sale with the cart full of clothing and did not pay for the items she had taken, which were valued in total about $739.94. The suspect, Brittany Vick, was subsequently arrested on shoplifting charges.

Friday, Sept. 5

At 9:40 a.m., police received a report from a resident that on Tuesday, Sept. 4, around 4:30 p.m., her vehicle had been struck by something on its passenger side, and then “some kind of paste” splashed up onto her passenger side window and rear windshield. The item was reportedly a bag containing flour and water. No damage to the vehicle was reported.

At 1:10 p.m., police responded to Waterford’s Restaurant and Pub on Bridge Street on a report of annoying phone calls. Officers spoke with a caller from the restaurant who said the business had received a phone call from a caller who claimed to be working for NSTAR and that the electricity was going to be shut off in 30 minutes in order to install “Smart Meters,” and that the restaurant had a balance of $1,378.63 that had to be paid, and that to pay the balance, someone would need to visit CVS with cash and purchase a “Green Dot Money PAK” scratch card. The restaurant staff told police it was the first time they had received such a call and he reported the matter to NSTAR.

Saturday, Sept. 6

At 8:40 a.m., a resident reported to police that she found flour had been thrown around the street in the area of her home, and that the previous weekend, eggs and onions had been thrown in the street, as well as a sub sandwich.

At 12:17 p.m., officers charged a driver on Washington Street for driving with a revoked license.

At 1:47 p.m., police responded to Legacy Place on a report of a dog being locked in a vehicle. Officers found the rear windows of the vehicle had been halfway down and the dog did not appear to be in distress. Legacy Security stated they would monitor the dog and call Dedham Police if the animal’s condition changed.

Sunday, Sept. 7

At 2 p.m., police received a report of a vehicle having been entered. The vehicle, a 2003 Hyundai Elantra, was reportedly locked and the front passenger side window was broken. A wallet was stolen from inside that contained a license, credit cards and other small items. There was no cash in the wallet, according to police reports.