February 1, 2018

2/1

On February 2, a Brookline Park Ranger called to report a dog biting incident. The involved parties included two dogs and their owners. Both stated that their dogs were off-leash when they approached one another and sniffed around. Without provocation, one of the dogs bit the other. One of the involved parties stated that they did not believe the incident was based on aggression. After observing this happen, she notified the owner of the bitten dog and they exchanged information. Both dogs are licensed with the Town of Brookline and are up to date on their shots.

An officer responded to the area of 365 Boylston St. for a report of a possible hit and run on Thursday. The reporting party stated that upon stopping at a red light while traveling on Washington St., he observed a truck side-swipe the driver's side of his vehicle. He followed the vehicle, trying to gain the driver's attention, with no success. The reporting party believes that because a truck hit his car, that the driver did not notice the collision. Minor damage was noted on the rear panel of the vehicle.

On Thursday afternoon, an officer was dispatched to Heath St. for a report of a larceny. The victim reported that their wedding band had gone missing. It was brought to attention later that afternoon that it had been misplaced while the victim's bedroom was being cleaned and would be returned the next day. A follow-up has been requested.

1/31/2018

1/31

On Wednesday, a man came into the station to report a past larceny. He told an officer that his bicycle had been taken from a stairwell on Beacon St. The victim reported seeing his bicycle last week. The case is active at this time.  

1/30/2018 - Continued

1/30

On Tuesday January 30, an officer was dispatched to Freeman Street to take a larceny report. The victim stated that she had discovered some of her jewelry missing upon returning from a vacation she went on. This is an active case.

An officer was dispatched to Heath St. for a larceny report. The victim stated that he noticed cash missing from his wallet, which he had left on his desk, after taking a shower. There was nothing else missing from the scene. The case is active.

1/29-1/30

1/29

On Monday January 29, officers were dispatched to Harvard St. for a reported shoplifting. The caller stated that the suspect had attempted to shoplift 3 pairs of sneakers. When the caller confronted the suspect, he had dropped 2 of the 3 pairs and ran out of the store. The case is active.

Units were dispatched to Kent St. for a report of a package theft on Monday evening. An officer observed two packages upon arrival, one of them being ripped open with its contents missing. The caller said that when he walked into the building, he saw a man picking up packages in the vestibule. He realized moments later that the man never tried to enter the building. He called the police, suspecting this person was actually trying to steal these packages from the vestibule. This is an active case.

1/30

In the early morning hours of Tuesday January 30, an officer was dispatched to Newell Rd. for a report of a suspicious male walking around the reporting party’s residence. The reporting party told the officer that she was in the kitchen getting ready to take her dog outside when she observed a man, dressed in all black. She described that the man had crossed over to the rear of her property and then went on to travel down a set of stairs which lead to a basement door. After some time, she observed him come back up the set of stairs. She then banged on the kitchen window, which sent him fleeing down the driveway.

The reporting party then called Brookline dispatch. Brookline Units canvassed the area of Newell Rd. Due to the fresh snowfall, officers were able to determine the path the suspect had made from the reporting party’s residence. Officers followed the foot prints which headed towards Parson’s Field, located on Kent St. At this time, an officer heard noises coming from the bleachers. The officer came around to the front of the bleachers and observed a male, dressed in dark clothing, running across the field. The officers pursued the subject, as he crossed over the MBTA tracks and ran along the Muddy River, where he was eventually caught.

The suspect is a 29 year old man from Malden. The case is currently active.

1/26-1/27

1/26

On Friday, an officer was dispatched to Harvard St. for a report of a shoplifting. The caller had witnessed a man take a pair of shoes, hide them within his pants, and then proceed to exit the store. Units searched the area but were unable to find the suspect. The case is active.

1/27

On Saturday, an officer spoke to a business owner regarding a larceny. The victim stated that the opening manager had discovered cash and a credit card missing from the register on the morning of Monday, January 22. The case is active.

*Eversource Utility Scamming Incident*

On the afternoon of Saturday, January 27, an officer was dispatched to a business on Beacon St. for a report of larceny. The owner said that he had received a call on his business telephone from someone claiming to be an Eversource representative earlier that day. The representative told the victim that their bill was overdue and immediate payment was needed to ensure his electricity was not shut off. The victim was told by an account services representative to purchase pre-paid money cards, as they were unable to accept credit card payments over the phone. The representative stated that the pre-paid money cards he needed to purchase were called "Green Dot Money Pak". Once the cards were purchased, he was asked to call back to arrange for the payment of his overdue bill.

Fearing the impact this potential power outage may have during peak-business hours, the victim purchased multiple "Green Dot Money Pak" cards. Once returning to his business, he called the phone number provided by the account services representative and made the payment for the overdue electricity bill.

A couple of hours later, the victim received another phone call from Eversource stating that they had made a mistake and he still owed an additional, over-due balance. The victim was then advised to call another representative to make a second payment. With much concern, the victim hung up, knowing he had been scammed. He contacted the landlord who informed him that the electric bill is incorporated into his lease. The case is still active at this time.

Brookline Residents,

        Utility scams are common ways that even the most vigilant people can fall victim to. They often pretend to be a representative of your provider, sometimes claiming that they will turn off your electricity or even threatening jail time as a means of receiving immediate payment. It is important to recognize the common signs of utility scams and the facts regarding your utility provider.

The Facts:

Both Eversource and National Grid will…

        Never ask customers to make direct payments over the phone.

        Never demand immediate transfer – via wire or pre-paid cards.

Both Eversource and National Grid Representatives and affiliated    

contractors will…

Always carry a company-issued photo ID and provide it when asked by the customer.

*If you believe you’ve been scammed or contacted by a utility scam artist, please report it to the Brookline Police Department. In addition, contact your utility provider.

Resources:

Eversource

Utilities United Against Scams

utilitiesunited.org/Pages/default.aspx

          

*Includes a Consumer’s Guide to Imposter Utility Scams

National Grid

www9.nationalgridus.com/aboutus/a3-1_news2.asp?document=7623

Better Business Bureau

Website

www.bbb.org/scamtips/

Scam Stopper Pages

www.bbb.org/scamtips/