Crime & Safety

Police Log: Robbery on Lexington Street and a Suspicious Man in an SUV

The following information was supplied by the Newton Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

Robbery on Lexington Street

Police responded to Lexington Street last Monday, Sept. 10 after a woman reported someone had robbed her.

According to reports, the woman was walking down Lexington Street toward Commonwealth Avenue when a man passed her going in the opposite direction. The man then ran up behind the woman and ripped the purse out of her hands and fled toward Staniford Street. 

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The suspect was described as a white male, approximately 5'10" tall, wearing khaki shorts. 

A witness, who lives on the corner of Staniford Street and Lexington Street, reported that a black Hyundai was parked outside her house around the same time as the incident. The woman said she saw the passenger in the vehicle slide over to the driver's side while the driver got out and started walking down the street. 

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A short time later, the woman said she heard someone scream and saw the black Hyundai speed off. 

Truck inspection leads to arrest

A Marlborough man was arrested last Monday, Sept. 10, after Newton Police conducted an inspection of his commercial truck and trailer, which were parked on Austin Street.

Boanerges W. Lopez, 28, of 123 Chestnut St., was arrested for driving without a license, police said. Lopez also faces citations for his truck including failure to secure a load (two counts), defective equipment, improper registration and violation of fire marshal regulations.

The employer will also face citations for the truck violations and for employing a driver without a license, reports said. 

Stolen trash barrels 

A woman told police last Monday, Sept. 10 that someone stole her (blue) city trash barrel and her (green) city recycling barrel from the sidewalk in front of her Walnut Street home. According to reports, the incident happened sometime between Sept. 6 and Sept. 8. 

Car break-ins

A man came in to Newton Police Headquarters Monday, Sept. 10 to report that someone had broken into his car sometime overnight. The vehicle, which was unlocked, was parked on Linwood Avenue, reports said. 

Police also responded to Elm Street Monday, Sept. 10 for reports of a past vehicle break-in. No other information was provided.

Suspicious man in a red SUV

Police responded to Country Club Road on Tuesday, Sept. 11 after a woman reported a suspicious incident that happened earlier that morning.

According to reports, the woman was walking down Winchester Street toward Needham Street when a man driving a red SUV pulled over in front of her. As the woman walked by, the man asked her for directions to Newton Centre. He also offered her a ride, which she declined.

The man then became insistent and "verbally aggressive" about giving the woman a ride, reports said. The woman kept turning down the offer until the man drove away. 

The driver was described as a dark-skinned white male in his 20s or 30s wearing a brown checkered hat. He had dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and facial features described as "square or boxy." The red SUV reportedly had Red Sox license plates. 

Stolen copper

A man came in to Newton Police Headquarters on Wednesday, Sept. 12 to report that several copper sheets had been stolen from a work site on Hyde Street. 

According to reports, the worker left the 10x3 copper sheets hidden under a piece of plywood on Friday, Sept. 7. When he returned Monday, the sheets were gone. 

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


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