Belmont Police Log, Dec. 4-Dec. 11: Check fraud, bicyclist struck, pedestrian struck, tree uprooted, road rage 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. 

Monday, Dec. 4

4:09 p.m.: A Crestview Road resident reported check forgery. There was $2,000 missing from his Leader Bank account. He realized a check he mailed Nov. 27^th to GT Homeservices for $6,233.50 was altered except for his signature. The check on the statement was changed to $8,233.50 and made out to Analise Lauraisa Baez. The back of the check shows it was a mobile deposit to Citizens Bank. He mailed it on Nov. 27^th at around 11 a.m. in the mailbox on Concord Avenue outside the post office. He was able to cancel the check and close his account.

Tuesday, Dec. 5

9:37 a.m.: A Maple Street resident reported a forged check. He went to his bank, Watertown Savings, and noticed his statement amount seemed off. He printed out his transaction history and noticed a check in the amount $8,228.30. He determined this check was written to Verizon for $228.30 on Nov. 10th and was mailed that same day. The check was made out to HJR Contractors, Inc. He filed an altered check claim with the bank and is waiting for more information about where it was deposited. He placed the check into the mailbox located on Chestnut Street. He was advised to monitor his accounts and report any more suspicious activity.

1 p.m.: A town tree was uprooted in area of 156 Beech St. after a collision between two motor vehicles, a 2023 GMC operated by a Belmont man and a 2024 tractor trailer operated by a Dorchester man. Belmont Light and Public Works also responded. The tractor trailer uprooted the town tree, knocking down several wires that were on top of the truck and on the pavement. The sidewalk was also damaged. The truck was making a food delivery. He made a right turn onto Beech Street from Irving Street when he heard the crash on top of his truck. The operator of the GMC was traveling on Beech Street and said the truck was going the opposite way. He observed the tree fall down onto the truck. There was no visible damage to either vehicle. Asplundh removed the tree.

Wednesday, Dec. 6

7:53 a.m.: Orchard Street residents reported malicious damage to their 2013 Lexus and 2020 Nissan. The tires appeared to be slashed. There were puncture holes on the side walls of both passenger and driver side tires. Both vehicles were parked in the driveway overnight. They did not notice any suspicious activity. There were no other vehicles in the area with flat tires. They were advised to report any further suspicious activity.

9:32 a.m.: A 2000 tractor trailer operated by a Winthrop man collided into a street light on Park Avenue by Village Hill Road. The operator of the truck said he was on Park Avenue just before Rutledge Road. He was backing up his truck and trailer into the Belmont Hill construction area and without warning he accidentally struck and took down a light pole. Belmont Light will have it repaired.

11:45 a.m.: An Old Concord Avenue resident reported a possible scam. He was in need of garage door repair services. He searched for companies and found a company called Garage Services claiming to be located on Leonard Street. A man named Nick arrived at his home on 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 4. The home owner gave the ok to make the repairs and paid him a total of $5,100 after the work was completed. After paying him, he began to question the cost and then researched many of the parts used for the repair and discovered they were much cheaper than what he was charged. A Chamberlin remote was $300 at Home Depot but he was charged $1,900 for it. He made several attempts to Nick and emailed the company to bring the price differences to their attention, but he has not heard back from them. He also went to the address on Leonard Street and found no garage business in the building at the location. He was asked to keep police informed of the situation.

4:44 p.m.: A 65-year-old Wilson Avenue resident reported fraud. He uses a Crypto-currency website, Deribit.com. On Nov. 5, 2023, he attempted to withdraw money from his account but encountered a problem with his authentication. He contacted the technical support hotline and spoke to Joe Young over the phone and also communicated through What’s App and Telegram. Joe instructed him to open a Trust Wallet account and deposit $5,000 into it. He encountered the same problem and was unable to access his money so he opened a second one and deposited another $5,000. He became suspicious and went back to the technical support hotline and spoke to Russell Rick and told him about his previous encounter with Joe. Russell showed him an employee card for Joe at Deribit which looked authentic. Russell then instructed him to open a third Trust Wallet account and deposit $15,000 into it which he did. The next day, he noticed every 15 minutes account transactions of his Trust Wallet account were being made and transferred elsewhere. He then hired Mychargeback, a crypto currency forensic investigator company who creates trace reports. He gave officers the forensic trace report along with transaction statement of his Trust Wallet accounts. He believes his phone may have been hacked by the scammers because the text history was mysteriously deleted. In total, he lost $25,000.

10:47 p.m.: Collision in area of 365 Belmont St. between a 2021 Toyota operated by an Arlington man and a 2012 Toyota operated by a Watertown man. There were no injuries. The 2021 Toyota was parked in a marked parking space on Belmont Street. He was getting into his vehicle and about to sit down into the driver’s seat when the 2012 Toyota struck his vehicle. His pant leg was soaked by fluids from his vehicle when it got struck. He declined medical attention. The operator of the 2012 Toyota said he was working long hours and thinks he fell asleep behind the wheel when he struck the vehicle as he was travelling down Belmont Street. There was heavy damage to both vehicles. Both were towed from the scene. The operator of the 2012 Toyota was issued a citation for marked lanes violation.

Thursday, Dec 7

10:06 a.m.: A Waltham man reported stolen property. He was landscaping a home on Crestview Road when one of his leaf blowers was stolen. After finishing he work, he left and noticed only one leaf blower was in the back of his truck when there should have been two. When he returned to retrieve it, it was not where he left it, besides a dumpster on the premise. He asked workers loading the dumpster if they tossed it in there by mistake and they did not. He also checked the dumpster and didn’t find anything. It is a Red Max 8550 valued at $700.

9:52 p.m.: Collision in area of 578 Trapelo Road between a 2016 Hyundai operated by a Belmont man and a 2005 Toyota operated by a Watertown man. The operator of the Hyundai was trying to back into his driveway when he was struck on the left rear of his vehicle by a car traveling down Trapelo Road. There was moderate damage to the Hyundai, but it’s left rear tire axel was bent causing it to be inoperable.  The operator of the Toyota said the Hyundai was making a u-turn when he crashed. He had major damage to his car and airbag deployment. He was bleeding from his forehead due to a gash and was transported to Mount Auburn Hospital. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.

Friday, Dec. 8

7:38 a.m.: A collision between a 2005 Toyota operated by a Watertown man and a bicyclist at the intersection of Lexington Street and Trapelo Road.  The operator of the Toyota was about to turn left onto Trapelo Road at the same time as a landscaping truck. The bicyclist appeared in front of his motor vehicle striking the front of it. He exited the car to speak with the male bicyclist who may have been a freshman or sophomore in high school. He said he was fine and continued on Trapelo Road. He described the bicycle as a black Mongoose with thick tires. He wanted to have the incident documented. The high school resource officer was also notified and she will work with the principal to make sure the cyclist is ok.

2:35 p.m.: A Munroe Street resident reported fraud. Earlier today, an upstate New York M & T Bank location, an individual attempted to make a transaction using her name and personal information. She was informed by the bank that the individual attempting to make the transaction was wearing a hospital style mask and knew the first five digits of her social security number and that she had an account at the bank. She was questioned and left. She was contacted by M & T and went to the Leonard Street branch to speak to them. Her account was not compromised and the bank will conduct an investigation. (Belmont Police always advises people to go to their local branch if they receive a call from a bank).

Saturday, Dec. 9

9:52 a.m.: Collision in area of Alexander Avenue and Leonard Street between a 2020 Chevy operated by an Arlington woman and a female Arlington pedestrian. Belmont Fire also responded. An individual was lying on her back in the roadway. The operator of the Chevy said she was making a left turn onto Alexander Avenue. Another vehicle stopped to let her make the left turn when she struck the pedestrian in the roadway. The sun was in her eyes and she said she never saw the pedestrian. The pedestrian said she was running on the sidewalk and as she crossed she was struck. She was transported to Mount Auburn Hospital for precautionary measures. A witness said the pedestrian was running at a fast pace and did not slow down or stop when she crossed.

3:40 p.m. Didriks on Leonard Street reported shoplifting. At around 2 p.m., he noticed a white fluted candlestick was missing. The footage from the security cameras shows a middle-aged Caucasian woman with blonde hair, wearing a black jacket, came into the store and put the candlestick holder in her purse. She then walked around the store for another three minutes, then left. The candlestick holder is worth $80. He was advised to call the police if anything like this occurs again.

Sunday, Dec. 10

9:22 p.m.: Road rage in area of Belmont Street and Templeton Parkway in Watertown. A Waltham man said the vehicle in front of him and the operator began yelling at him. He recorded the incident with his cell phone which angered the operator more. He then got out of his vehicle and began yelling obscenities. The Waltham man drove away with his passenger door open and called 911. He showed the officers the video of the incident. Officers were able to identify the other operator as a Watertown man. Officers went to the Watertown man’s residence and were able to make contact with the man who said he almost struck the vehicle two to three times due to poor driving by the operator. He became frustrated and yelled at him. He then became more upset because he learned he was being recorded and opened the Waltham man’s passenger  door to speak to him further. Officers explained he should not exit his vehicle or open anyone else’s door in traffic.

Between Dec. 4 and the morning of Dec. 11, Belmont Police responded to nine mental health calls, and two domestic calls where both resulted in arrest. The first domestic was charged with assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The second domestic was charged with assault and battery.