Police Log: A Thief is Caught, an Activist is Assaulted and a Traffic Light Goes Down

Cars vandalized

Police responded to Middle Street on Monday, Sept. 3 after a woman reported her driver's side mirror had been ripped off overnight. According to reports, the mirror was found around the corner on Chapel Street, reports said. 

Police also responded to Cook Street on Monday, Sept. 3 after a woman reported that someone had torn the driver's side mirror off her car, which was parked in front of her house. The incident happened sometime between 12:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Monday. 

According to reports, the mirror was also ripped off a car belonging to the Cook Street resident's friend, who was also parked in front of the house. 

A vehicle on the other end of Cook Street had similar damage, reports said. That incident happened sometime between 9 p.m. Sunday and 10:30 a.m. Monday. 

Stolen backpack

A man who was exercising at on Monday, Sept. 3 told police he had placed his backpack down near the tennis courts around 10 p.m., which had a water bottle and an iPhone. He left the bag and when he returned, it was missing, reports said. 

Assault charges

A Newton resident was arrested on Sunday, Sept. 2 after police were dispatched to Hereward Road for reports of a family disturbance. 

Cardina Gates, 19, of 7 Hereward Road, was charged with assault and battery, disorderly conduct and destruction of property less than $250, police said. 

Stolen bike

A Keefe Avenue resident told police on Sunday, Sept. 2 that his 26-inch Trek unisex bicycle was stolen from his property sometime after Aug. 30. The bike was described as a 21-speed burgundy bike with a handlebar headlight and back saddlebags with reflector strips. 

Break-in, credit card thief caught

A Newton man was arrested on Sunday, Sept. 2 after he allegedly broke into a vehicle, stole a wallet and attempted to use several credit cards in that wallet. 

According to reports, a man living on Auburn Street told police that someone broke into his car earlier Sunday morning and stole his wallet, which contained four credit cards, a license and a Military ID. When the vehicle owner called his credit card company, they told him the card was being used at several locations in Waltham and West Newton.

The credit card company reported the card was used three times at the that morning for the amounts of $671.41, $356.17 and $96.45. All three times the card was used it was declined. It was also used at the Burger King, Exxon Mobile, Moody Spa, Casa Latina and Tedeschi convenience store in Waltham. 

When police responded to the CVS in West Newton, they spoke with the clerk who provided a description of the man who attempted to make the three large (declined) transactions. Police then gave that description to both Newton and Waltham police officers, who searched the area. 

A few minutes later, one of the Newton officers found a man matching the description near the intersection of Rivers Street and Williams Street in Newton. When asked for an ID, the man presented the stolen driver's license and military ID from the Auburn Street resident. 

As a result, Steven O'Connor, 45, of 10 Prospect St., was arrested for breaking and entering a motor vehicle for a felony, credit card fraud under $250, receiving a stolen credit card and receiving stolen property, police said. 

Alleged drunk driver takes down traffic light

A 22-year-old Newton man faces drunk driving charges after he allegedly crashed his car into a traffic light on Sept. 2 and drove off. 

According to police reports, officers responded to the area near Crafts Street and Waltham Street for reports of a driver who struck a traffic light. When police arrived on scene, they found the traffic light pole lying across the street as well as pieces of a license plate and car (a Lincoln) in the road. 

After moving the light post off the road, police ran the license plate that was found and drove to the addressed registered to the plate. When the arrived at the home, they found a Lincoln parked in front of the house with front end damage.

Police rang the doorbell and the door was answered by a man who was later identified as the driver. Police said he smelled strongly of alcohol and his eyes were glassy and red. He also required medical attention and was transported to Beth Israel Hospital. 

The 22-year-old Newton man was later cited with charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of property damage and a marked lanes violation, police said. 

Domestic incident leads to arrest

A Newton man was arrested on Friday, Aug. 31 after police responded to Lexington Street for reports of a domestic dispute.

Brian Y. Yung, 19, of 192 Lexington St. #2, was charged with domestic assault and battery, police said. 

Woman followed home

Police spoke with a woman on Friday, Aug. 31 after she reported she had been followed home the night before.

According to reports, the woman got off the train at the Newton Highlands MBTA stop around midnight Thursday night. As she was walking northbound down Walnut Street toward her home (also on Walnut Street), she noticed a man walking southbound on Walnut Street but thought nothing of it. 

When the woman approached her driveway, she noticed the man crossed the street and started walking toward her. The woman walked into her driveway and the man followed a few feet behind.

At this point, the woman asked what the man was doing, and he replied asking if he could speak with her. The woman said "no" and entered the house, locking the door behind her. 

Reports said the man lingered in the driveway for a bit, but didn't try harming her or coming inside. The woman told police she did not feel threatened, but found it alarming that the man followed her and lingered in her driveway. 

Man assaults activist in Newtonville

A woman was reportedly assaulted on Friday, Aug. 31, while she was handing out political information near the in Newtonville. 

According to police reports, the woman was canvassing when a man approached her and tried to rip several signs off her display. He also reportedly grabbed her by her arms and started to shake her.

After a short period of time fighting with the woman, the man gave up and went inside the Citizen's Bank. Bank employees reported that the man asked general questions, but did not make any transactions.

A witness nearby recorded the assault on his cell phone, reports said, and later showed it to police. The suspect is described as a 65-year-old white male with a yellow button-up collared shirt with thin, grey stripes. He was also wearing glasses and a hat that had an "M" on it, police said. 

Dog attacks mailman

Police responded to the on Friday, Aug. 31 after a mail carrier reported that he was bitten by a dog while delivering mail on Commonwealth Avenue. According to reports, the dog escaped from the house and bit him on the hand. 

Car broken into

An Avalon Road resident told police on Friday, Aug. 31 that someone had broken into his unlocked car while it was parked in his driveway. According to reports, the incident happened between 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 and 7 a.m. on Aug. 31. The suspect rifled through the contents of the car's console, but did not appear to take anything.

Broken window

Police responded to a business on Bridge Street Tuesday, Sept. 4 after an employee reported her window, which faces the intersection of California Street and Bridge Street, had been broken by a BB gun pellet. 

According to reports, both the exterior window and screen were cracked and ripped and the BB pellet was found inside the window. 

Attempted break-in at Carroll Center

Someone reportedly tried breaking into a shed at the sometime last week, according to police reports. 

An employee told police last Tuesday, Sept. 4 that a maintenance worker had locked the shed, which is behind the center's main building, around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31. When the maintenance worker returned on Tuesday, the shed's "strike plate" was bent and cut and there was damage to the wood frame of the door. 

No access was gained to the shed and nothing was stolen, reports said. 

Break-in on Chestnut Street

Police responded to Chestnut Street on Tuesday, Sept. 4 after a resident reported someone had broken into his home and stole several pieces of jewelry. 

According to reports, the theft happened sometime between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. The suspect apparently broke in through a side door, which had a damaged bolt and frame. 

Although the suspect went through several drawers in the computer room the laptop was left untouched. The suspect then moved upstairs to the bedroom where he rifled through several drawers and jewelry boxes. 

Billerica man faces several driving charges

A Billerica man was arrested Wednesday, Sept. 5 after he allegedly crashed his car into a utility pole off Arbor Road, reports said. 

According to reports, police responded to the scene to find a car off the side of the road and resting against a utility pole, which was cracked at the base. 

Robert Bruce Macrae, 22, of 311 Salem Road, was arrested on a default warrant out of Waltham District Court. Macrae was also charged with driving with a suspended license, operating to endanger, having an open container in the car and a marked lanes violation, police said. 

For questions on this police blotter, email Editor Melanie Graham at Melanie.Graham@patch.com.