Belmont Police Log, June 12-19: Man attempting to drive through construction site assaults female traffic officer, neighbor threatens to call ICE on other neighbor having trees cut down, cat dies in house fire 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. 

Thursday, June 12

8:18 a.m.: A resident was threatening to hit a female traffic officer with his vehicle on Thayer Road during construction. The female traffic officer who was assigned to Thayer Road for the construction company fixing gas lines, said she observed a gray SUV accelerating towards her and the construction crew on Thayer Road. She attempted to stop the vehicle from driving any further towards the worker. The operator refused to stop, rolling down his window, saying, “I don’t have to. I’m a resident. I know my rights.” He then said, “I don’t have to listen to you. You are a female. You’re not a police officer.” He again told her he was going to drive through the site. He started to drive the car forward, knocking the traffic officer off balance. She grabbed the steering wheel in an attempt to stop him from driving into the workers. The car again moved forward. He tried rolling up the window, but the traffic officer was able to open his door. When she did this, he yelled, “I’m going to run you over.” He was able to get the door shut again. The traffic officer instructed him to put the car in park and turn off the engine, pleading with him, “You’re going to hit them. Stop.” He said, “I’ll drive through it. I don’t care. I’m a resident. I know my rights.” He took his phone out to videotape the traffic officer and stuck the phone inches from hir face, almost hitting her. When swatting the phone away, she got it in her hands. He grabbed her arm, pulling her in the car. She struck him once to his left eye. He then grabbed her radio by the antenna and threw it across to the passenger side of his vehicle. The traffic officer sustained visible injuries to her arm. Another female officer came to assist the traffic officer. She asked him several times to exit the vehicle and he refused. The assisting officer opened the car door and he again refused. He continued to move around his vehicle, reaching and refusing the order to exit the vehicle. The assisting officer activated her taser, pointing at him and ordering him out of the car. He again dove in the car head first reaching around. At this point he got out of the car telling the officer to tase him. He was ordered to sit down on the curb, calm down and speak to the officer. He continued to refuse, repeatedly saying because the officer was a female, he would only speak with a male officer. Three male officers arrived on the scene. Once multiple officers were on the scene, the man sat down. A witness said the SUV was going a good amount of speed and he heard the operator yelling at the detail officer on the scene. The location was closed off on three sides and there were clear orange colored “Road Closed,” “Police Officer Ahead,” and “Utility Work Ahead,” signs as well as orange cones. Video surveillance from a nearby gas station shows the gray SUV driving at a high speed and going around the clearly marked orange cones and over the sidewalk curb to get to Thayer Road with five construction workers on the scene. The man was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a public official, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Friday, June 13

10:06 a.m.: A house fire reported on Louise Road. Flames were coming from a basement window and smoke was coming from the first floor. The police officer used a fire extinguisher on the basement window. The resident was outside, but there was a cat still inside. Belmont Fire extinguished the fire. The cat was found deceased on the third floor.

10:50 a.m.: M & T Bank on Trapelo Road reported a disturbance. A customer was yelling at bank employees. The bank manager explained a fraud alert was put on the customer’s account to protect him due to suspicious activity involving checks cashed on his account. The customer also has been withdrawing large amounts of cash every week. He came to the window to withdraw $1,000. Due to the fraud alert placed on his account, the bank had to verify all the information before giving him the money. The manager asked the customer to sit down while they verify the information. This made him angry and he repeatedly yelled, “Give me my money! I need my money!” He was banging on the teller counter yelling and calling employees and customers a profanity. He left when the manager said he was going to call the police. The manager was advised to notify other M & T branches of the customer’s behavior and issue him a “No Trespass” order.

Sunday, June 15

4:30 p.m.: Revolve in Belmont Center reported shoplifting. A staff member said an unknown woman purchased two pairs of shoes. As she began to walk out of the store, he observed she had a bag full of unknown clothing she did not pay for. When he confronted her, she ran out to the Claflin Parking Lot and drove away in a black Honda Pilot registered to a New Hampshire man. She was described as a tan, blonde, petite woman between her mid 40s to early 50s, possibly Hispanic, 120 pounds, 5-feet-7-inches tall.

Monday, June 16

2:02 a.m.: A Fletcher Road resident reported two motor vehicles broken into. He received an alarm on his iPhone indicating his Tesla door was open. A second phone notification was received about another Tesla that received an alarm. The resident said it usually takes 15 minutes for the vehicle to trigger a message about a door being open. His black NZXT gaming desktop valued at $2,000 to $3,000 was missing. Both vehicles were unlocked.

9:40 a.m.: A Winter Street resident received a text message from AMEX that there was a fraud alert. He realized he left his wallet in his vehicle and went out to look for it. When he opened the door, he noticed someone rummaged through the vehicle. The glove box was open and items were left on the passenger seat, including his wallet which was left open on the seat. Missing form his wallet was his driver’s license, AMEX card, Capital One card, Bank of America and Mastercard. He cannot find his spare key and is unsure if it was in the vehicle. He also can’t find his house key that was in the vehicle. He locked all his credit cards, but some charges were pending. There were four charges on his Bank of America Card. He was advised to run a credit check. Video surveillance from his Ring camera and a neighbor’s Ring camera show a white SUV drive past the house at 1:49 a.m. The license plate could not be made out and the people inside the vehicle could not be seen.

10:29 a.m.: A Walnut Street resident reported she was scammed on an apartment. She responded to an ad on Apartments.com and was talking to the supposed owner. She sent a wire transfer for $5,500 to the man. Today, she got a call from him stating he needs $1,800 times two for rental insurance. She told him she wasn’t sending him the money and wanted to meet him at his apartment. He refused to meet her and told her he needed the money today. When she questioned him, he started to get upset and swear.

12:08 p.m.: A Winter Street resident reported her vehicle broken into and $5 change was missing

5:49 p.m.: A disturbance reported at PQ Park between two juveniles. One child was put into a chokehold by the other child. They were playing on the side of the park near Trapelo Road. One of them got into an argument with a group of kids playing hide and seek on the other side of the fence. One boy got mad when the other boy was saying racist things about his friends, which is when he put him into a chokehold.

5:55 p.m.: Elm Street resident said she was scammed. She received an email from Norton AntiVirus informing her that her subscription to the software service was expiring and her account was going to be auto renewed for $319.99. She called the number provided and spoke with someone she believed was an employee. The employee directed her to call a different number, which she believed was the manager. The manager informed her the renewal was  already being processed and to download a program on her computer to give him access so he could refund the charge. He logged into her bank account and claims he deposited $32,000, accidentally adding two zeros. He told her she had to go to the bank and withdraw the money to repay the company. She went to Watertown Savings on Church Street. He told her to go to a drive-up teller. She went to the bank and was still on the phone with him. She whispered to the bank employee that she needed help. The bank employee took the phone and attempted to speak to the man who became angry and aggressive, demanding to only speak to the victim. All accounts were frozen and a fraud report was filed.

7:49 p.m: A Belmont resident said he created a post on Facebook marketplace to sell his graphic card for $3,200. A potential customer reached out saying he was interested to buy the graphic card for the set price. They agreed to meet at Star Market on Trapelo Road to complete the transaction. They met and then the man Venomed the other man’s wife two payments of $1,600. One month later, he received a notification from Venmo that one of the $1,600 transactions was being disputed. He has been in contact with Venmo and was advised to file a police report.

8:15 p.m.: A suspicious person was yelling racial slurs in the area of Hurley and Middlecot Streets. A similar incident occurred on June 14. Officers spoke to the suspect who said his neighbor must be confusing him with someone else. He was told to stay off his neighbor’s property and not to harass his neighbor.

Tuesday, June 17

2:50 p.m.: A Hillcrest Road resident reported fraud. He put a check in the mailbox by Oakley Road and Chester Road for $20. The check was washed and changed to $9,400 and payable to a different person and deposited at St. Anne’s Credit Union on April 4^th.

Wednesday, June 18

7:34 a.m.: Collision on Pleasant Street between a 2019 Hyundai operated by a Newton man and a 2021 Porsche operated by a Watertown man. The operator of the Hyundai was issued a citation for failure to yield to oncoming traffic, uninsured motor vehicle and unregistered motor vehicle.

8:30 a.m.: A Grove Street resident reported a stolen bicycle valued at $160. It was on the rear porch facing Park Road overnight. This morning it was missing.

9:55 a.m.: A resident reported he tripped on a raised portion of the sidewalk located directly in front of East Cambridge Savings Bank on Trapelo Road. The fall was witnessed by Belmont Rescue. He had visible injuries to his right arm. His injuries were evaluated by Belmont Fire.

4:14 p.m.: A dispute between neighbors on Cambridge Street. A tree service was completing work on one neighbor’s property. The other neighbor began yelling at the workers that they killed a tree and was calling them derogatory names and threatening to call ICE. Part of a tree trimmer was on her property and she screamed at the workers to get their equipment off her property. The accused neighbor admits calling the neighbor a “moron,” and denied calling any of the workers derogatory names. She said landscaping vehicles were parked all over the front of the house and all their gas-powered equipment was on her front lawn, so she told them to move it and began taking the equipment and moving it to the sidewalk.

8:24 p.m.: Several pedestrians were crossing the street at the intersection of Pine Street and Trapelo Road. A black moped operated by a male wearing an orange shirt and black half helmet drove through the red light behind a pedestrian in the crosswalk. The police followed the man on the moped with the blue lights flashing and he did not stop.

Thursday, June 19

11:50 a.m.: A fire reported at 371 Belmont St in February 2023. A permit was approved in January 2024 to repair the property. The homeowner hired a construction company to complete the work. She has had numerous issues with the contractor hired. Items have gone missing and she suspects one of the workers took the items, including paint, paper, doorknobs, door lock, miscellaneous supplies, paint brushes, rollers, pan, hammers, other tools and flooring. The total value of the materials taken is $2,500. She also said one of the workers was caught by her realtor using a bathroom with no running water. She has asked the contractor for the keys back that he and his workers may have to the property but has been unsuccessful in getting them back. Belmont Police called the contractor and asked him to contact the homeowner’s attorney about outstanding issues they have with one another. He said he would speak to his workers about going on the property and would contact her brother, who also owns the property, about the other issues.

Belmont Police responded to three mental health and two domestic calls June 13-20.