Piano Tuner In Home With No Piano, Break-Ins: Newton Police Logs

NEWTON, MA — Police respond to dozens of emergency calls each day. The following reports are taken from the public police log and Newton Police between Feb. 17 and Feb. 24. It's important to note that just because someone reports an incident to police doesn't mean that's the way it happened.

Sunday, Feb. 17

Drunk Driving: Newton rescue crews had to deploy the Jaws of Life to rescue a 35-year-old Needham man who was later charged with OUI liquor, second offense, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. Police were called to Dedham Street and Spiers Road just after 1 a.m. for a report that an SUV had crashed into a pole. Police said the SUV had broken the pole. Police said the man was having difficulty answering basic questions and placed him under arrest.

Monday, Feb. 18

Default Warrant: Police arrested Timothy Kerr, 58 of Newton on a warrant issued out of Newton District Court for driving on a suspended license, lights violation.

Tuesday, Feb. 19

Break in: Someone at Talamas Broadcast Equipment, located at 145 California St, reported someone attempted to break into the shop. The employee showed police a window in the kitchen area that was boarded up, as a result of it being found shattered, but not broken. She then showed police a video showing a white van that pulls up to the side of the building and two men wearing dark hooded sweatshirts then get out of the van. One of the men heads to the camera on a nearby building and appears to place something on it to distort its view. The camera on the
Talamas building then goes dark.

Wednesday, Feb. 20

Porch Pirate: A Washington Terrace resident called to report a package theft.

Stolen: An Adams Street resident reported that sometime between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. his black Gravity mountain bike was stolen from in front of the home. He said he hadn't locked the bike.

Thursday, Feb. 21

There is no piano: A dog sitter called police to report someone was breaking into a Summit Street house where she'd just picked up a dog. The dog walker told police she came to pick up the dog and pulled into the driveway behind a dark gray Subaru, with Rhode Island plates. She went up to the house and saw a man coming out of the house. The girl said she was surprised and said something to the man to which he told her:"I'm here to tune the piano" The dog sitter said the man went on to say something about there not being a piano and it must have been the previous owner. The sitter went in and got the dog and came right back out and the man was in his car waiting for her to pull out. She said she pulled out of the driveway but drove around the block and then came back to see if the man had actually left. She then called the homeowner. When the homeowner told her that there is no piano and that no one should be there, she called police.

The dog sitter described the man as white, 6-ft tall with a thin build, no facial hair, wearing dark
clothing, a backpack and a dark knit winter hat. She said the man did not appear to be nervous at
all. The dog sitter also said the dog did not bark at him, which she thought was unusual. Police said they could find no evidence of forced entry.

Friday, Feb. 22

Warrant Arrest: Police arrested Atila Silva Santos, 25, of Everett on a default warrant out of Brighton for operating with a suspended license.

Saturday, Feb. 23

Suspicious: Someone called at 8:48 p.m. to report a suspicious person on Bellevue Street.

Sunday, Feb. 24
Break in: Police arrested Gary McClean,38, of Sharon, and will charge him with breaking and entering during the daytime for felony, larceny over $,1200.

A Boulder Road homeowner called to report someone was taking an oven and cook top from the house in a white Dodge cargo van and headed toward Parker Street. The reporting party had the license plate of the van and described the driver of the van as a 6-ft tall white man in his late 30s, medium build, with a goatee or some sort of beard, and wearing black clothing and knitted hat.

The homeowner told police he saw the man leave the home by the side door by the garage area and jump into the van before driving off towards Parker Street. He went inside and noticed that his cook top and oven were stolen from the kitchen area. That's when he called police.

The van came back registered to McClean. Police called McClean and he answered. Police told him he needed him to come back to Newton and return the stolen items. He arrived shortly in the van, removed Wolf 36" gas range top, a wolf 30" E Series Pro Double Oven SS, a Wolf 24" coffee system SS, a Sharp Microwave oven drawer SS and an Asko 24" T/C 44DBA dishwasher in front of police, the homeowner told police they were all there and weren't damaged. Then police arrested the man.

Parked wrong: A Mechanic Street resident called to report an illegally parked car in the driveway. The vehicle was reported stolen by Hertz Rental Car out of Wilmington, DE on June 12.

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Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).