Belmont Police Log, May 2-28: Check fraud, gate to skating rink entrance damaged, bicyclist struck, lawn mower theft 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, May 2, 2026
12:13 p.m.: A motor vehicle drove through and damaged the exterior gate of the Viglirolo ice skating rink on Concord Avenue. The reporting party said she was about to enter the rink on school business when she observed the vehicle turn right off oof Concord Avenue westbound, go through the closed gate and make a loop back to Concord Avenue on the new walking path. She shouted at the driver to stop but he ignored her. She got the truck’s license plate then informed the facilities manager about the incident. The operator of the truck said he was in charge of erecting and restoring a small veterans memorial by the old ticket booths on Concord Avenue across from Myrtle Street. He thought he could enter with his vehicle through the gate by the ice skating rink and drive around the paved path to the memorial. He didn’t realize the gate was fully closed and attempted to push it open with his front bumper, but in doing so he bent the pole that was in the ground and gauged the pavement. There was no visible damage to his vehicle.
Monday, May 4
9:55 p.m.: A 2020 Toyota Rav4 failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the intersection of Mill Street and Concord Avenue. The patrolman ran the license plate into CJIS and learned the vehicle is uninsured and unregistered. The operator said she did not see the stop sign and was focused on a Zoom phone call on the radio screen in the vehicle. Waltham Auto was called to tow the vehicle. The license plates were seized and stored. The operator was issued a citation for uninsured motor vehicle, unregistered motor vehicle and failure to stop/yield.
Tuesday, May 5
4:11 p.m.: A woman reported purchasing pansies valued at $25 and placing them on her father’s grave at Belmont Cemetery on April 7th. She noticed the flowers were removed from the grave on April 26th. She placed geraniums valued at $25 on May 2nd. The flowers were removed on May 3rd. She spoke with cemetery workers, and they mentioned cameras installed on their building by the Fairview Avenue entrance. Extra checks will be made at the cemetery.
Wednesday, May 6
1:03 a.m.: A 2021 Honda Accord was observed at the intersection of Clifton and Pleasant Streets making a right hand turn and rapidly accelerating onto Pleasant Street. It accelerated again at the intersection of Pleasant and Brighton Streets. A CJIS query revealed the driver’s license was suspended for failing to pay a ticket received on Feb. 3, 2026. He was issued a citation for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and speeding and was ordered to stop operating his vehicle and arrange for alternative transport. The vehicle was parked in a legal spot.
Thursday, May 7
12:55 p.m.: A Belmont resident reported her business was scammed. She was trying to apply for a permit to attach a sign to her business on Common Street and needed to pay a fee for the permit with the town’s zoning commission. On May 4th she received an email from someone posing as a town employee telling her she needs to wire transfer the fee for the permit. She wired $3,875 from her bank account to another bank. She then spoke to the town’s building inspector who informed her emails do not come from the town and the wire transfer was a scam. She is in contact with her bank and was advised to contact the other bank as well.
Friday, May 8
1:12 p.m.: Temple Beth El on Concord Avenue reported suspicious mail. There was a small business envelope mailed from an unknown location in the city of Boston. Inside was a newspaper clipping and propaganda supporting the Islam and blaming Jewish people and Christian people equally for the ongoing incursions in the Middle East. The clippings and propaganda also support LGBTQ+ individuals and families not having access to health care and stripping them of their civil rights. Also, there were clippings and propaganda supporting women not having equal rights to men. The only other distinctive markings on the envelope were yellow cartoon minion stickers on the back. The Temple staff was advised to contact the police if there is any further suspicious activity. There is no direct threat to Temple Beth El or any specific group or individual.
6:02 p.m.: Officers responded to a verbal dispute a couple had with another female while walking their dog on Marsh Street. The couple said they encountered a dog off leash in the front yard while walking their dog on Marsh Street. The dog ran across the street and barked at them aggressively. The man believes he was bitten but had a minor scratch on his lower left ankle, which he is not sure how he got. There have been similar instances in the past. He believes the female dog owner responded aggressively and started yelling at him. The dog is constantly left off leash, and they are always in fear of him attacking their dog. Officers spoke to the female dog owner who said she was bringing her dog from the front door to her vehicle. When he saw the other dog, he ran across the street and barked at him. Her dog came back immediately when he was called and responds to the man like that because two years ago, he beat up her dog. Her dog is very obedient and only off leash when she brings him a short distance from the front door to her vehicle in the driveway. She said she would make sure he is leashed in the future.
6:22 pm.: A man riding his bicycle on Belmont Street towards School Street was struck by a vehicle traveling towards Stults Road. As the car turned it hit the back wheel of his bicycle causing him to fall. The car stopped a few seconds on School Street before continuing into Watertown. The driver did not exit the vehicle. Two other vehicles stopped to check on him. He had injuries on his right shoulder, right elbow, right knee and several small lacerations on the knuckles of both his hands. He did not call 911 at the time and was not checked by any medical professional. He declined being examined at the time of the report. He did not hit his head and did not think anything was broken. His bicycle’s gear shifter was damaged and will cost approximately $200 to repair. He said the vehicle was a white or silver sedan. He could not describe the driver. He believes the driver knew they hit him. There was a loud bang and several cars beeped. The car stopped momentarily. There were no cameras in the area.
Monday, May 11
2:22 p.m.: A Grove Street resident reported his Black & Decker lawn mower and handheld garden tools (grader, trowel, shovel) went missing. He leaves the mower and some garden tools in his back yard under a tarp to protect them from the weather He noticed it was missing on May 4th. He believes the mower is worth $150.
Tuesday, May 12
7:02 a.m.: The officer on duty observed the operator of a vehicle traveling northbound on Common Street through the Trapelo Road intersection looking down at his cell phone and appearing to be texting. A CJIS query revealed a suspended license. The driver was issued a citation for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and electronic device use while operating. A licensed operator arrived on the scene to take possession of the vehicle.
2:17 p.m.: An Acorn Park Drive resident said his Samsung S24 cell phone was stolen from his parked Audi. He may have forgotten to lock the doors. No other items were missing from the car. The phone is worth approximately $300. He does not have insurance for it but needs the report for his place of employment.
5:28 p.m.: A Carleton Circle resident reported check fraud. She wrote an Eastern Bank check for $1,810 to a landscape company for work completed at her property. It was mailed on April 23, 2026, at a mailbox near the Baker School on Beverly Road in Chestnut Hill. She received a call on May 9 from the company requesting payment. She checked her bank and saw the check was made out to “Brian J. Reynolds” and cashed on May 5th at Eastern Bank. The bank restored her funds.
Wednesday, May 13
8:32 a.m.: Officers responded to a single motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Glenn and Blanchard Roads in Belmont. A 2018 Toyota Camry was found several feet off the roadway with the front end facing into bushes and the rear end hanging off a stone rock wall. The side airbag deployed throughout the vehicle. The operator was semi-unconscious in the front seat with agonal breathing. Belmont Fire arrived and placed a cervical collar around her neck prior to performing a vehicle extraction due to her condition and unknown injuries. She was transported to Mount Auburn Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Witnesses stated it appeared the operator was having a medical episode while traveling causing her to lose consciousness then veer off the roadway and crash into a stone/rock wall on Blanchard Road. Several citizens attempted to assist the operator, but the vehicle doors were locked. One unknown citizen took a dislodged rock from the wall and threw it through the rear right passenger side window and then climbed inside to unlock the vehicle to gain access to the woman. The vehicle was towed.
11:19 p.m.: McLean Hospital reported an individual refusing to leave the property and trying to sleep on the grass near the admissions building. There was a plastic bag with goods, a backpack and trash on the grass near the admissions building. Officers informed the man he needed to gather his belongings and leave the property because he was being trespassed. He refused to do so and said, “make me (expletive).” He said he was not going to leave and got into the officer’s face. The officer shoved him back causing an empty bottle of tequila to fall to the ground He was instructed to leave immediately if he didn’t want to get arrested. He began to get aggressive and started screaming profanities at the two officers and walking towards them in an aggressive manner. More units were requested. He continued screaming and failing to comply. The officer drew his taser 10 and pointed it at him, ordering him to get on the ground, but he did not follow the commands. Another officer attempted to deescalate the situation. He slapped one of the officer’s hands, casing his glove to fall off. An officer had to tackle him to the ground. He was handcuffed and searched and placed in the back of the cruiser. He was charged with disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer and trespassing.
Friday, May 15
7 pm: An electric vehicle charging station was knocked over near Hittinger Street and a corner of the sign was slightly bent. Th highway department was notified about the sign.
Saturday, May 16
8:45 a.m.: An employee of Blue Moon Estate Sales said there was an ongoing estate sale at a home on Warwick Road and two cast iron doors valued at $250 each were taken from the front yard between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. this morning. The doors were leaning against the front porch of the home for several days. Ring camera footage in the area yielded negative results.
Monday, May 18
11:42 a.m.: An Acorn Drive resident paid $1,000 for what he thought was an authentic iPhone but learned it wasn’t. On May 2nd, he made contact with someone on Facebook Marketplace selling what he thought was an Apple iPhone. HE agreed to meet the person at Starbucks in Waltham to purchase the phone for his sister. On May 3rd, he met a man who welcomed him into his vehicle. He paid for the phone that was wrapped in what appeared to be an Apple iPhone box and unopened. He paid $1,000 cash. Later that evening, he showed his friend the box. The friend rubbed the print off the back of the box and revealed Chinese lettering. His friend told him he was taken and often times this happens and people are selling $3 Chinese phones in Apple boxes.
1:19 p.m.: Shoplifting reported by owner of Revolve in Belmont Center. The suspect was described as a skinny lack male who ran out of the store with a handful of clothing. Officers searched the area but could not locate the suspect. The owner said he was wearing an off-white jersey style shirt, matching shorts with black pinstripes, had short dreadlocks and was wearing Air Jordans. Officers were unable to locate the individual. The employee who was helping the suspect said he entered the store through the back door from the Claflin lot. He requested to see two Louis Vuitton bags that were locked in the case. He took them out and the individual said he wanted to send pictures to his girl. After he sent the pictures, he requested to see shoes around the corner and partially out of sight from the front register. The employee left the two bags out on the counter by the register and brought over the shoes. The suspect looked at one pair of shoes and walked away toward the register, grabbing both Louis Vuitton bags and ran out the store’s front door towards Alexander Avenue. They chased the individual out of the store. During the chase, the owner fell and the employee looked down to make sure she was ok. When he looked back, the individual was gone. The total of the merchandise stolen was $4,830. One bag was priced at $1,980 and the other was priced at $2,850. Camera footage at the rear entrance of Citizens Bank will be investigated to see if it captured the vehicle the suspect was in when he arrived.
2:59p.m.: Hit and run reported. A 2020 Honda parked in the Claflin lot behind Belmont Center near Brooksy’s was struck. The front corner panel was damaged with scuffs and scratches visible. Surveillance camera footage will be investigated to obtain the identification of the offending vehicle.
3:13 p.m.: A male in his 30s was wandering on the third floor of the Belmont Middle School on Concord Avenue. The man said he was given permission by the staff to come into the school to visit a teacher. He said he used to go to the Belmont High School and graduated in 2020. The staff in the office let him in but told him he was allowed to meet with the teacher but was not able to wander. He was escorted out of the building.
4:09 p.m.: A Beech Street resident reported receiving a letter from the city of Newburyport for nonpayment of a parking ticket dated April 16th. He has never been to Newbury port and is completely confused on how he was issued this ticked. After a closer look, he noticed a discrepancy in the invoice paperwork for the violation he received. One plate and the vehicle do not match his. The vehicle in question has the same plate on the front end and on the back with the same registration for a man and woman in Amesbury. The issue was reported to the Amesbury Police Department. He will follow up with the city of Newburyport’s Registry of Motor Vehicles to report the discrepancy.
Tuesday, May 19
12:21 p.m.: An Oxford Avenue resident reported fraud. She recently started receiving mail from the state of California regarding businesses in California with her Oxford Avenue address. She has contacted the state of California to report the fraudulent activity, but they have not opened an investigation. She was advised to contact law enforcement in California and file a report with them. She has put a freeze on her credit card and checked her credit report, which showed no unusual activity.
Wednesday, May 20
4:44 p.m. Illegal dumping reported on the corner of Belmont and Ericsson Streets. There was a significant amount of discarded household items scattered on the sidewalk along the side of the house on Ericsson Street. The officer attempted to contact the homeowner, but it did not appear anyone was hoe. The reporting party said the items were put there some time last week. There was a “free” sign and some of the items were taken but after the thunderstorm, many things got blown around and do not appear to be in a condition for anyone to choose to take them. An attorney linked to the property was contacted. She said the real estate agent planned to get a dumpster to collect any unclaimed items. She believes some of the local residents were dumping their unwanted items on the sidewalk. The real estate agent will be getting items off the sidewalk and coordinate a dumpster to arrive and load it immediately to avoid more illegal dumping from surrounding residents.
Thursday, May 21
1:47 p.m.: Collision on Pleasant Street between two vehicles. The operator of one of the vehicles said he misjudged the distance when merging into the right lane while traveling on Pleasant Street towards Arlington. He was unlicensed and issued a citation for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and marked lanes violation. His vehicle was towed.
6:09 p.m.: A Payson Road resident reported fraud. She is power of attorney for her aunt. She wrote a check in the amount of $500.49 payable to a bank on May 1st. She checked her aunt’s statement and noticed the check was altered and cleared on May 6th for $500 payable to “Guy Bamba.” The check was mailed on May 4th and deposited into the USPS mailbox located on the corner of Chester and Oakley Roads. She will file a fraud claim. She was advised to continue to monitor her aunt’s accounts and report any further suspicious activity. Queries to CJIS and Crime Tracer produced negative results for “Guy Bamba.”
Tuesday, May 26
11:17 a.m.: Beth El Temple reported a suspicious letter. An envelope containing various clippings with the same handwriting as a letter received on May 8th. It was addressed with the initials of her maiden name. The clippings contained several Thomas Sowell quotes, a copy of a Time Magazine cover of former President Joe Biden, an article by Sowell titled, “Barbarians at the Campus Gates,” and names of multiple children that were victims of black-on-black crime.
12:27 p.m.: Check fraud reported by a Belmont resident. A check was mailed to his landscaper and placed in one of the mailboxes on Waverley Square on March 25th. On April 2nd, he saw the check was cashed. A few days ago, he received a call from his landscaper asking if he forgot to mail the check. He said the check was cashed. The landscaper said he did not receive it. The image of the check shows the recipient’s name changed to “Jakli White” and was not in his handwriting. The amount cashed was $2,231.36, which is the same amount the check was written for. He spoke to the bank and an investigation was opened. He was advised to close his checking account immediately.
9:34 p.m.: Five to six dirt bikes passed Belmont Police station. Only one or two of them were operating with headlights and taillights on. Officers attempted to follow with the siren activated, but they did not stop. One of the operators was riding only on the rear wheel of the dirt bike. Cambridge Police were advised of the failure to stop for red light, equipment violations, marked lanes and failure to stop for police.
Wednesday, May 27
9:58 a.m.: An employee of Butler School Extended Day said she mailed a check on April 29th at a mailbox on Bright Road. She was informed the check was never received. She checked her bank account and saw the check was changed and cashed on May 4th. IT was originally written for $225 and changed to $7,225 and the name was changed to “Briana Lopes.” She doesn’t know anyone by that name. She made her bank aware of the situation.
Thursday, May 28
9:33 a.m.: Officers responded to a house fire on Kenmore Road. The house was unoccupied. There were no visible signs of smoke or fire but there was an odor of smoke. Fire investigators determined the origin of the fire was from an HVAC unit in the basement of the home. The only people inside the home during the incident were two house cleaners. The homeowner was notified of the situation by the Belmont Fire Department.
Belmont Police responded to 19 mental health and eight domestic calls May 1-28.