Belmont Police Log, Feb. 8-13: Disturbance at CVS on Trapelo Road, Facebook fraud, check washing and more

The following are excerpts from the Belmont Police log as made available by the Belmont Police Department. The log is public and available for review. All persons are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. 

Saturday, Feb. 8

12:30 p.m.: Hit and run at Dunkin Donuts parking lot on Pleasant Street. The owner of a 2014 Subaru was parked along the fence when it was struck from behind by a 2010 Honda operated by an elderly woman when she backed out of a parking space. She drove off. The Belmont Police officer was not able to reach the registered owner of the offending vehicle.

Sunday, Feb. 9

3:12 p.m.: A Belmont resident reported her daughter, a Belmont High student, is receiving threatening texts from an unknown number. She attempted to call and text the number back, but it was blocked. The School Resource Officer has been made aware of the incident.

Monday, Feb. 10

3:42 a.m.: Tenant dispute on Weber Road. One tenant is making loud banging sounds and yelling at all hours of the night, keeping the other tenant’s children awake and disturbing the peace. The tenant has also made threats to vandalize his car.

8 a.m.: Vandalism to a vehicle on Beech Street. Someone slashed the vehicle’s front and back driver’s side tires while it was parked overnight in the resident’s driveway. Video footage from neighboring cameras will be reviewed.

9:15 a.m.: Animal bite reported by a Belmont resident. While he was walking to the commuter rail train at 7:35 a.m., a short, heavyset middle-aged woman was walking two small, long-haired dogs. Without warning, one dog lunged and bit his right leg below the calf. Both dogs were leashed. He told the woman one of her dogs bit him and she just walked away. He was advised to contact his physician and make sure he is up to date with his tetanus shots. Officers reported the incident to the Belmont Animal Control Officer who will check her database to try to locate the owner of the dogs.

Tuesday, Feb. 11

5:05 p.m.: A Belmont resident reported she was the victim of Facebook fraud. A friend posted a 2018 Toyota Camry for sale and other items for a family member that passed away recently. She reached out to her friend to inform her she was interested in buying the Camry listed for $5,000. The friend requested a $1,000 deposit to hold the vehicle. She tried to send the money via Venmo, but the payment was denied. After a few messages back and forth on Facebook, she was given a Zelle account that belonged to a different person. Zelle did not provide her with an account number, just a phone number. She sent the $1,000 to the Zelle account. At around 6:15 on Feb. 9, she received a message on Facebook requesting another $1,000, which would be used to help pay for funeral expenses. She became suspicious and reached out to her friend’s husband who informed her that her friend’s Facebook page was hacked, and she was not selling any of the items lists. She contacted her bank who told her to contact Zelle and file a claim.

8:14 p.m.: A Belmont resident reported check fraud. His wife mailed a rent check to their landlord on Jan. 30 at the mailbox located on the corner of Harriet Avenue and Trapelo Road. It was for the amount of $2,750. The check was cashed on Feb. 6 for $13,450. The check was washed and payable to Jeffrey Montero. It appeared the money was transferred to a Digital Federal Credit Union account. He received word on Feb. 3 his landlord did not receive the rent check, so he drove a new check to his home. He learned of the fraud and informed Citizens’ Bank who froze the account. They were advised to contact their financial institutions and monitor credit scores.

Wednesday, Feb. 12

7:57 a.m.: Ovenbird Café reported check fraud. Someone cashed a fraudulent check using his business account through Watertown Savings Bank for $44,711.05, made out to Emmanual Taylor who the owner does not know. He was advised to notify all his financial institutions and monitor his credit score.

12:30 p.m.: An Oxford Avenue resident reported a MacBook Air was delivered to her home on the front porch via FedEx. One minute later, she observed a male in a dark hoodie take the package and get into a dark-colored sedan. She was unable to provide the make/model or plate number of the vehicle. Video of the incident from her Ring doorbell has been uploaded to the Belmont Police. Attempts were made to reach residents with cameras in the area but were unsuccessful.

Thursday, Feb. 13

4:08 p.m.: Disturbance at CVS on Trapelo Road. A black male with dreads, wearing a dark blue Amazon company jacket was knocking items off the shelves. Prior to the police arrival, he left the store in an unknown direction. An employee said he was visibly agitated. The surveillance footage showed the person knocking items off shelves in two aisles before walking to the front of the store where the registers are, then go off camera. An employee who was outside saw him park an Amazon prime box truck near the store’s handicap parking. She thought he was dropping off packages. The employees were advised to call if he returns to the store.

7:26 p.m.: Neighbor dispute over ongoing issue of water leaks involving the upstairs neighbor. On Feb. 7, one neighbor noticed water dropping from the ceiling and walls in his bathroom between the toilet and shower. He shut off the water for the entire household. The leakage stopped. He turned the water back on the next morning. He has tried to call his neighbor who has the leak but has not been able to get in contact with him.  Officers were also unable to reach him.

8:15 p.m.: A Belmont Street resident reported her town barrel was missing.

Belmont Police responded to one domestic and one mental health call between Feb. 8 and Feb. 14.