Belmont Police Log, June 27 to July 1: Car break-ins, woman accuses police of harassment, Belmont man possibly scammed out of $400,000 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. 

Friday, June 27

9:43 a.m.: A Belmont resident mailed three separate Bank of America checks on June 15 at approximately 6 p.m. inside the Concord Avenue mailbox across from the post office. The first check was for $61,000 payable to the US Department of Treasury. The second check was for $6,400 for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The third was for $1,900 payable to the state of New York. He was notified of possible fraudulent activity from Bank of America on June 24, that two checks appeared to be washed the amounts and payees changed. He immediately notified his bank.

2:02 p.m.:  A Belmont resident reported receiving threatening texts, telling him to meet the unknown offender at his apartment or they would kill him. The text also included a video of two men wearing masks and threatening him. One of the men was holding a handgun. A Belmont Police sergeant called the number. A man answered but he was unwilling to talk to him. The Belmont man was advised to block the number. The text was likely a financial scam. The phone number traces back to a Texas man.

3:30 p.m.: A woman came to the police station to turn in a set of keys to a Hyundai she found at the M & T Bank ATM, 2 Leonard St. A CVS Extra Health tag was attached. The clerk at CVS scanned the code but the owner’s information was anonymous. The keys were placed in the found property bin because the owner could not be located.

4:31 p.m.: A hit and run were reported by a Belmont resident who parked his mother’s car in the lot behind the former Allegria Bridal Shop, 285 Belmont St. There was moderate damage to the left side rear bumper and left front side panel. Noone left a note.

10:04 p.m.: A Gordon Terrace resident reported her daughter’s bicycle stolen from a front yard on Pearson Road.  It is dark pink and white with a yellow pinstripe down the middle with visible damage to the left handlebar, valued at approximately $1,500.

Saturday, June 28

1:50 a.m.: An officer on patrol observed a male tagging a transformer box in front of Belmont Medical Supply on Grove Street. He was white, approximately 5-feet-8-inches in height. The officer yelled at the man to stop and turned the cruiser closer to the sidewalk. The suspect then ran away and the officer lost sight of him. The vicinity was searched, but the suspect could not be located.

9:15 p.mn.: A Gordon Terrace resident reported her back door damaged. She does not know who could have done it.

10:05 p.m.: An officer on patrol observed a black male reaching into a backpack to get what appeared to be a spray cannister out, inside the tunnel underneath the MBTA commuter rail by the Belmont Lion’s Club. The individual started spraying the paint cannister on the wall inside the tunnel. As the officer started walking into the tunnel, the individual started packing up his paint cannister and turned away. The officer identified himself and told the individual to stop where he was. He started walking away at a fast pace. The officer followed him. He then turned towards the officer and said, “get away from me, you wierdo. I’m going home.” His mother then ran up the stairs of the commuter line and began shouting at her son to get away from the tracks and told the officer to get away from him. He was directed back to Concord Avenue where other officers arrived on the scene. His mother then began shouting at all the officers on the scene. An officer asked her what she was doing there, and she said she was coming to pick up her son and did not know what he was doing. She also said her son suffers from mental illness and is off his medication. She threatened officers that she would file reports of harassment, stating, “You guys get a badge and a gun and start thinking you are better than people.” Her son told her to get in the car and said she was being a “wierdo.” The officer searched the boy’s backpack and located two paint cannisters. They were confiscated and thrown away. A small amount of blue paint was sprayed on the walls inside the tunnel. It was a canvas over the old paintings so he could create something new. He was released to his mother’s custody.

Sunday, June 29

3:35 p.m.: Vandalism to a motor vehicle on School Street. A woman returned home from vacation to find her front windshield cracked. She found a brick broken in half, lying next to her vehicle. There was also a large dent on her front hood. The vehicle was also entered. She said it was unlocked. Items in the vehicle were rummaged through, and the glove compartment was open. Her and her husband’s handicap placards were missing. Noone else has access to her vehicle.

5:45 p.m.: An Alexander Avenue resident reported his Jeep Grand Cherokee broken into overnight. A pair of sunglasses that belonged inside the vehicle were on the side of the road. Several work identifications belonging to his wife were also located on the road. The vehicle was rummaged through, and several items were missing, including a car charger, two eyeglass cases, a Swiss Army knife, two camping chairs, two backs of Sun Cruiser drinks. The vehicle was left unlocked overnight in his driveway.

Monday, June 30

12:40 p.m.: A Belmont resident reported fraud. Someone he thought was a friend from high school sent him a text in 2021 asking for money to help his family and to invest in the gold business.  He then texted that he was beaten up and in the hospital. Loan sharks were after him and were going to hurt him. He Facetimed him and he was skinny and missing teeth. He estimates sending him between $350,000 and $400,000 through wire transfers, Venmo and Zelle using DCU Bank and then Chase Bank.  A man recently contacted him claiming to be the friend’s lawyer and was asking for money on his behalf, saying his friend was in trouble and needed money. He sent this man $60,000. He was never threatened and believed the former high school friend was in danger if he did not give him the money.

2:45 p.m.: A woman was driving on Brighton Street when wires fell on top of her Honda CRV at the intersection of Brighton and Hittinger. Belmont Light secured the wires. The railroad track system was working fine.

Tuesday, July 1

11:15 a.m.: A Belmont husband and wife reported larceny by check. The husband put a Bank of America check in a mailbox on School Street on June 13^th. The check was made out to National Grid for $104. On June 24^th, the check was cashed for $12,400 at M & T Bank and made payable to an individual for a home installation. His wife was notified by M & T who suspected fraud. She contacted Bank of America and froze her account. She was advised to run a credit report and keep an eye on their accounts for other possible fraudulent charges.

11:22 a.m.: A Newcastle Road resident reported he was away June 22-27. When he returned, he noticed his bicycle and saw were missing from his shed which is never locked. The bicycle is a blue Trek 1200 series worth $400. The circular saw was $100.

12:28 p.m.: A Richmond Road came into the station to pick up his two black wallets that went missing from his car and were recovered by a Clairemont Road resident who found them on her front lawn. A Bank of America credit card, JetBlue credit card, 3Step Sports company credit card and $120 cash were missing. His vehicle was unlocked.

6:10 p.m.: A Belmont resident was picking up her grandchild from daycare on White Street when her car door was struck by a vehicle parked next to her. She said she was pinched between the door and the vehicle and had injuries to her back, hip, knee and neck. She sought treatment at an urgent care at a later date. The driver of the offending vehicle said he was pulling out of the parking spot and noticed a woman looking at him. He exited his car and spoke to her. He said she thought his driver’s side mirror struck her rear passenger side door as she was loading her grandchild into the car. He denied hitting her vehicle and does not believe his vehicle made contact with hers. He asked if she was ok, and she said she was. They both left. He believes the wind blew her door shut and was adamant his vehicle did not make contact with hers. He had no damage to his vehicle.

Belmont Police responded to two mental health and one domestic call, June 27 to July 2.