Police Log: Man Pulls Knife During Road Rage Incident, 2 Mopeds Stolen

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department.

Arrests

Sept. 16, 1:56 p.m.: A shoplifter was detained at Home Depot after being seen trying to take items without paying for them. Store security saw the man place numerous hand tools in a tool box he grabbed at the store. After he filled the tool box, he attempted to exit the store but was stopped. Police were called and they learned that the man had two active warrants. The 21-year-old Arlington man was arrested on a charge of shoplifting, and on the two warrants from Boston District Court: one for breaking & entering, the other for receiving stolen property.

Also this week:

Incidents

Sept. 14, 2:55 p.m.: A moped was reported stolen from Home Depot. A Cambridge man parked it on the mulch area across from the main entrance at 2:20 p.m. When he came out half an hour later, it was gone. He said he had accidentally left the keys in the moped. The vehicle is a dark green and black 2015 Genuine Roughhouse valued at $2,000.

Sept. 15, 11:35 a.m.: An elderly woman called the Police Station to report an online fraud. On Sept. 14 she received a prompt on her home computer saying that her computer had been hacked and compromised. The alert included a phone number to call to resolve the issue. After speaking with the someone she was instructed to buy $5,000 in gift cards. She did so at Stop & Shop on Watertown Street and also a location in Cambridge. She is out the $5,000.

Sept. 15, 1:12 p.m.: A Watertown man received a call from someone posing as a representative from the FBI. The caller said a stolen car was recovered that contained illegal drugs and there was paper work in the vehicle linking the resident, a 27-year-old man, to the car and the drugs. To clear his name and to get a reassigned Social Security Number, the man was told to buy $15,300 in gift cards and send the info to the caller. He purchased them at stores in Bedford, Burlington and North Reading. The money could not be recovered.

Sept. 15, 3:36 p.m.: A bicycle was taken from a rack on the back of a car parked at Target. The victim went into the store and came out to find the bike was gone. It is worth $1,500. Detectives responded and reviewed security footage and saw a man and a woman who went into the store at the same time as the owner of the bike. At one point, the man left the store while the female waited inside. She then left and both were seen standing next to the victim’s car. The man then rode off on the bike. Police said the female appeared to be acting as a lookout. Police identified both suspects and warrants were issued for the 44-year-old New Bedford man and 30-year-old New Bedford woman, each facing a charge of larceny over $1,200.

Sept. 17, 2:11 p.m.: The vice principal of Watertown Middle School reported that the school’s front door had been vandalized. He tried to unlock the front door and was unable to get the key into the lock. A locksmith came out and found an obstruction. It appeared that a paperclip had been jammed into the keyhole.

Sept. 18, 9:01 a.m.: A Bromfield resident heard a commotion from his driveway and when he went out he saw three men in their mid-20s at the end of his driveway. Two were on mopeds and the third was coming down the driveway with the resident’s moped. The resident yelled at them to stop, but the three left heading south on Bromfield toward Acton Street. A neighbor gave an identical account of the incident. The moped was a red 2015 Vespa, worth $4,000. Later, it was recovered by Police in Dedham and returned to the owner. 

Sept. 18, 9:54 a.m.: A car had been parked in a lot on Repton Circle for several days, so management reported it to police. Officers came out and discovered the 2017 Honda Civic had been reported stolen from Waltham. Watertown Police informed authorities in Waltham.

Sept. 18 1:07 p.m.: An Amazon driver reported a case of road rage on Walnut Street. He was driving down the street when another driver went around him to pass. The Amazon driver gave the other driver “the finger.” The Amazon driver went to deliver a package on Spruce Street, and the other driver pulled up and began yelling at him and approached him. He made gestures that he wanted to fight. The Amazon driver got the package and exited the van. The other driver then pulled out a knife and the Amazon driver backed away, but the other man continued to come toward him until he was four or five feet away. Then the man turned around and started back toward his car, but turned and threw the knife at the van, causing a dent. He then picked up the knife and left. A witness captured the incident on a cellphone and the man was identified. Police issued a warrant for the 24-year-old Watertown man for assault with a dangerous weapon.

Sept 19, 10:21 a.m.: Police were dispatched to Arsenal Yards after security found damaged property. An 8×12 laminated social-distancing sign hanging near the elevator on the fifth floor of the parking garage had been burned. It appeared that someone held a lighter up to the plastic. The incident occurred between 6 p.m. on Sept. 19 and the time of the call on Sept. 20.

Sept. 20, 3:04 p.m.: A Boylston Street resident reported that several purses and other items were taken from her home. Five purses, three clutches and $200 in cash were missing, and were taken sometime over the last month. They had been in a spare bedroom of her apartment. Two of the purses were Gucci, worth $3,000 each; two Valentino, worth $400 each; another she could not remember the brand, but was worth $3,000. The clutches were worth $100 each. Nothing else was missing, and there were no signs of forced entry. Police are investigating.