The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department.
Arrests
Dec. 4, 3:01 p.m.: Police received a report of a vehicle being driven erratically on Westminster Avenue near Main Street. It almost hit three vehicles when pulling out of a store parking lot. Before the driver got into the vehicle, the witness saw her nodding off in a store. Police stopped the vehicle on Main Street near Church Street. The driver showed signs of impairment, and the officer believed the driver was under the influence of drugs. The woman admitted to using narcotics before driving. She failed four field sobriety tests. Also, she did not have her license with her. The 24-year-old Danvers woman was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of drugs and was cited for not having her license while driving.
Dec. 5, 7:41 p.m.: A motor vehicle accident was reported on Waverley Avenue by Worcester Street. The vehicle was seen crossing the center line and hit an unoccupied parked vehicle. When police spoke to the driver, the man showed signs of impairment, including a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. The driver failed field sobriety tests. The driver admitted to drinking alcohol before driving. The 58-year-old Watertown man was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and marked lanes violation.
Dec. 6, 5:52 p.m.: An officer patrolling in Watertown Square spotted a vehicle go straight from a left-turn lane from Mt. Auburn Street heading toward Galen Street. The vehicle was pulled over and the officer noticed and overwhelming odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. When the officer asked the driver questions, he would not answer and repeated them back to her. The driver failed field sobriety tests, and was placed under arrest. The vehicle was towed, and during and inventory police found 34 empty nip bottles in the center console, three full nip bottles on the passenger-side floor, four 375 ml vodka bottles, and a 1 liter bottle of vermouth in the back seat. The 52-year-old Watertown man was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol — a fourth offense, failing to stop/yield, and marked lanes violation.
Dec. 7, 5:08 p.m.: A shoplifter was stopped at Stop & Shop on Watertown Street after he was seen on video going through the self checkout and scanning most of his items as bananas. On prior days, store security had seen the same man in the store taking items. When officers spoke to him, he admitted to the scam. He took a total of $197.76. The 57-year-old Boston man was arrested on a charge of shoplifting by recording false value.
Dec. 8, 3:05 p.m.: Police were at Target on routine business when security told them they were conducting an internal investigation on an employee who the suspect was taking cell phones. The employee had been contracted by Target from a business called Market Source. On Nov. 29 and again on Dec. 2 he was seen taking more than $9,000 worth of cell phones. Police stopped the man and found he had two outstanding warrants. The store determined he had taken $9,849.28 worth of phones. The 36-year-old Mattapan man was arrested on two counts of larceny over $1,200, and two warrants, one from East Boston District Court for breaking and entering and one from Suffolk Superior Court for breaking and entering.
Incidents
Dec. 3, 11:36 a.m.: Police were called to a home owned by the St. John’s Methodist Church after it had been broken into. Staff said a man known to them had broken into the property twice. On Dec. 2, they found him in the home after he allegedly broke glass and entered the house. He was found inside the house and was told to leave and never come back. On Dec. 3, maintenance workers were in the home and found another broken window and when they went inside they found the TV on and graffiti had been sprayed over the interior walls. After an investigation, police believe the same man broke in both times and spray painted the walls. A warrant was obtained from Waltham District Court for a 51-year-old Watertown man for two counts of breaking and entering and one count of malicious destruction of property. Police do not think he is involved with other break ins in town.
Dec. 3, 1:15 p.m.: A resident reported his identity had been stolen. He received a letter from his bank saying his withdrawal limit was being increased. He thought that was odd because he had not requested the increase. When he contacted the bank he found that on Nov. 27 and Nov. 30 someone had hacked into his bank account and stole an estimated $16,000 during 26 withdrawals from ATMs on the South Shore. The man is working with his bank and with police departments on the South Shore to determined what happened.
Dec. 4, 5:04 p.m.: A woman was spotted at CVS who took clothing items and household cleaning products and hide them. The woman had a total of $89.47 in merchandise. The 32-year-old Malden woman was summonsed to Waltham District Court for shoplifting.
Dec. 6, 7:34 p.m.: A resident came into the Police Station to say he was being extorted. He received a text from someone demanding he pay $5,000 or else a compromising photo of him would be posted on the internet. He did not know the number and the person provided an address to send the money which was located in the Ivory Coast in Africa. He did not send money and no photo was posted.
Dec. 7, 4:44 p.m.: A resident reported being the victim of an internet scam. The person is a college student and received an email from someone that the person thought was at the same college. It asked if the student wanted to take an online survey and be paid for it. The student was told the payment would be sent in a package by FedEx. The package contained three checks for $2,950, and included directions for the survey. The person was also told to purchase six Apple Store gift cards for $7,650, and was instructed to send photos of the backs of the cards to a phone number. The person did so. The checks the student received did not clear. Police are trying to track the phone number where the photos were sent.