Crime & Safety
Police Log: Break-ins; Stolen Political Signs; OUI Mistaken for Cardiac Arrest
The following information was supplied by the Newton Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.
Car left smashed up
A Nissan Altima parked in a parking lot on Washington Street Thursday, Oct. 25 appeared to have been smashed in several places with a baseball bat.
According to reports, the front and rear windshields were both smashed as well as the passenger side rear break light and the two headlights.
Find out what's happening in Newtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Possible break-in
A woman living on Bertrand Road told police Thursday, Oct. 25 that she believed someone had tried to break into her house Wednesday between 8 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Find out what's happening in Newtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The woman said she heard some thumping downstairs while she and her son were upstairs. Initially, she thought the noise was her son running around. However, the next morning she found the back kitchen window pane was broken and the screen was precisely cut.
The inner window pane was still closed, reports said, and no entry was gained to the house.
The woman also found a children's Halloween toy axe on top of her car parked in the driveway.
Break-ins on Centre Street
Police responded to two break-ins on Centre Street Thursday, Oct. 25.
According to reports, the first resident returned home to his apartment around 2 p.m. to find the door had been jimmied and then forced open.
The suspect took assorted jewelry from a jewelry box on a dresser and also took a Kindle, iPad and a Torri Birch bag.
A second resident told police he received a call from the maintenance workers at his apartment telling him his unit had been broken into.
The resident returned home around 5:30 p.m. to find that his door had been pried open. The suspect took a Mac Book Pro, a Nikon Cool Pix digital camera and jewelry.
Stolen coat
Police responded to Pizzeria Uno in Newton Corner on Thursday, Oct. 25, after a customer reported that someone stole his coat.
According to reports, the customer got up to go to the bathroom at 10:10 p.m. and when he returned, his grey "Nordic" jacket was stolen from his seat at the bar.
No one reported seeing someone take the coat, reports said.
Suspicious photographer
Police responded to Bigelow Middle School on Friday, Oct. 26, after a student reported seeing a suspicious male taking photos near his bus stop.
According to reports, the student saw the male when he was getting picked up by the school bus around 7:50 a.m. at the corner of Pearl Street and Jewett Street.
The man, who appeared to be taking photos of kids getting on the bus, was described as an Asian male in his 50s with white hair and carrying a small camera.
Stolen bikes
Police responded to East Side Parkway Friday, Oct. 26, after a resident reported a stolen bicycle.
According to reports, the resident returned home around 6 p.m. to find that her son's bicycle had been stolen from the unlocked garage.
The bike was described as a maroon "Mongoose" mountain bike. It was last seen by a neighbor around 4:30 p.m.
Police also responded to Watertown Street on Sunday, Oct. 28, for reports of a stolen bicycle.
When they arrived on scene, the owner said his bike was stolen from his back porch sometime between 8 a.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Sunday. The bike was described as a black Trek 7300 hybrid with red lettering,
Stolen election signs
A Chestnut Street resident told police Saturday, Oct. 27 that someone stole his Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren election signs from the grass beam in front of his house.
The incident happened sometime between 4 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday, reports said.
Fight with a baseball bat
A Newton man was arrested Saturday, Oct. 27 after police responded to the area near River Street and Star Road for reports of a fight involving a baseball bat.
As a result, Theodore Gerald Helms, 42, of 253 River St., was arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon (baseball bat).
Heart attack or OUI?
A Needham man was arrested Sunday, Oct. 28, after police responded to Commonwealth Avenue and Chestnut Street for reports of someone possibly in cardiac arrest.
When police arrived on scene, they found the man was not in cardiac arrest, was not diabetic and was not on medication. After further evaluation, police found he was unsteady on his feet, was slurring his words and had bloodshot eyes.
Police determined that the man was intoxicated, reports said.
As a result, Daniel Richard Ryan, 27, of 7 Howe Road was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, police said.
For questions on this police blotter, email Editor Melanie Graham at Melanie.Graham@patch.com.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
