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police

Police log for Oct. 30–November 4, 2020

November 10, 2020

Downed trees, branches, and/or wires were reported on Lincoln Road, South Great Road, Tower Field Lane, and Tower Road on October 20, on Lincoln Road on October 31, and on Tabor Hill Road, Lexington Road, and Lincoln Road on November 2.

Callers reported that fraudulent claims of unemployment were filed in their names on Short Hill Road (November 2), Bedford Road (November 3), and Tower Road (November 4),

October 30

Ballfield Road (8:40 a.m.) — Caller reported seeing someone stealing a political sign at the intersection of Ballfield Road and Lincoln Road. Police reported that at 11:07 a.m., they were able to identify the person responsible for stealing political signs. Officers spoke to the individual and later followed up with the owner of the signs.

October 31

Ballfield Road (2:29 p.m.) — Caller reported political signs were stolen from Lincoln Rd at Ballfield Road and Lincoln Road and Rte. 117.

Old Concord Road (4:21 p.m.) — Caller reported what looks like a water leak at a neighbor’s house who isn’t home. Officer responded and dispatch attempted to make contact with the owner.

Todd Pond Road (8:34 p.m.) — Caller reported the sound of a loud music. Officers responded and spoke to the homeowner, asking them to bring their kids inside.

Sandy Pond Road (10:22 p.m.) — Report of political signs knocked over.

November 1

Old Sudbury Road (9:40 a.m.) — Caller reported finding political signs on their property. Unknown who placed them there. Officer responded and retrieved the signs and returned them to the owner.

Old Concord Road (9:15 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone knocked on their door asking if someone dropped food off at their house.

November 2

Wells Road (1:03 a.m.) — Caller reported their child (age 12+) was missing. After an investigation, the juvenile was located and returned home.

Grasshopper Lane (7:27 a.m.) — Caller reported a telephone wire was hanging low and was concerned that a truck could hit it. Verizon notified.

Wells Road (11:45 a.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported finding a pink hat while walking on Wells Road.

Bedford Road (2:55 p.m.) — Caller requested an officer to come to the residence as he picks up some items.

Huckleberry Hill Road (4:36 p.m.) — Report of several political signs stolen.

Wells Road (5:47 p.m.) — Officer assisted a party back to their residence.

November 3

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (9:53 a.m.) – Caller reported dog running on Rte. 2. Dog located on Reiling Pond Road. Owner later called reported their dog missing. Animal control notified and handled.

November 4

Baker Bridge Road (8:56 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled off to the side of the road. Driver is OK; was using phone.November 5

Trapelo Road (2:32 p.m.) — Caller reported being scammed over the internet by sending gift cards to an unknown person.

Lincoln Police Department (3:30 pm.) — A walk-in to the station reported losing a key to his car. The key hadn’t been turned into the station.

Category: news, police

Police log for October 15–28, 2020

November 3, 2020

Police received reports this week of unemployment claims that were fraudulently filed in the name of Lincoln residents on Lewis Street, Brooks Road, Cambridge Turnpike, Stonehedge Road, Hemlock Circle, Linway Road, Weston Road (two), and South Great Road.

October 15

Lewis St. (8:09 a.m.) — Caller reported that a contractor knocked down a power line between the pole and the building. Fire Department contacted the electrical inspector to respond and taped off the area.

Lincoln Road (11:48 a.m.) — Officer came across a very minor crash at Rte. 117 and assisted with paper exchange; no report taken.

Lincoln Road (12:24 p.m.) — A worker from Donelan’s called with concerns about an elderly customer who appeared to be confused and was walking on Lincoln Road. Officer located the party, who lives at the Commons in Lincoln. The officer drove the party back to his residence.

October 16

North Commons (10:54 a.m.) — Resident requested a well-being check on a party who left their residence and was upset. Officer located the party, who was waiting for family; everything was fine.

Baker Farm Road (12:44 p.m.) — Police received a report of a campsite in the woods on conservation land. Officers checked but no one around. Officers later tracked down the owner, who is going to remove the equipment.

Wheeler Road (8:17 p.m.) — Caller reported a party was on his property who suddenly left when confronted in a vehicle. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate the person.

Bedford Road (4:57 p.m.) — Power outage reported; Eversource responding.

South Great Road (4:58 a.m.) — Traffic lights out at the intersection of Rte. 117 and Rte. 126. Four-way stop signs were deployed at the intersection.

October 17

Bedford Road, Beaver Pond Road (8:39 and 8:54 a.m.) — Reports of large trees down, taking out the electrical service to the houses. Eversource notified.

Moccasin Hill (4:19 p.m.) — Caller was concerned about a vehicle parked on the roadway on Saturday and Sunday. Officer checked on the vehicle and everything was fine; the owner will park elsewhere.

October 18

Lincoln Road (8 a.m.) — Caller reported a teenager walking who appears to be under the influence. Officer located the party, who didn’t wish to talk to the him but showed no signs of intoxication.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (8:51 p.m.) — Caller reported losing her phone that was on the hood of her car. Officers were unable to locate.

Old Concord Road (10:16 p.m.) — Caller reported having an interaction with a party at about 8:30 p.m. who was driving a scooter and appeared confused, looking for a directions to a residence in Lincoln and Burlington. Caller wanted to make police aware of the interaction.

October 19

Trapelo Road (8:57 a.m.) — Report of a tree down. DPW notified.

Sandy Pond Road (1:05 p.m.) — Report of political signs stolen at the five-way intersection. Additional reports of stolen signs at the same spot on October 20 at 8:15 p.m., October 21 at 4:07 a.m. and 7:37 p.m., October 22 at 5 p.m., October 26 at 9:56 p.m., October 27 at 9:56 p.m., October 28 at 2:26 p.m.

October 20

Todd Pond Road (10:18 a.m.) — Caller reported being a victim of fraud. Investigation ongoing.

Pierce House (1:59 p.m.) — Caller reported an elderly party left the residence who doesn’t have a license. Officer checked the area and was unable to locate the party, but followed up with her at her residence and advised her not to drive.

October 21

Todd Pond Road (7:59 a.m.) — Report of a party throwing debris in the roadway. Officer was unable to locate the involved party.

Ridge Road (4:09 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station wanted to report ongoing suspicious activity around their apartment. Report taken.

South Great Road (7:01 p.m.) — Report of glass breaking, possibly at a neighbor’s house. Officers checked the area and neighbors; everything appears fine.

October 22

Lincoln Road (10:47 a.m.) — Caller reported that railroad gates came down on top of his vehicle. No damage.

Lincoln Road (7:54 p.m.) — Verbal warning given to party riding a bike with no lights.

Lincoln Police Department (9:20 p.m.) — Minor damage to a police cruiser door while deploying a traffic board.

October 23

Page Road (6:20 a.m.) — Caller reported that a lumber truck was looking to make a delivery at a house on the street that he’s unable to locate. Officer responded and assisted the party; there was a mix-up with the paperwork

Huckleberry Hill (4:59 p.m.) — Report of political signs stolen. Second report of stolen signs on October 27 at 6:10 p.m.

October 24

Virginia Road (1:12 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party pulled over at the town line. Everything was fine.

South Great Road (11:52 a.m.) — Weston police reported they had a vehicle stopped in Lincoln that had left a crash in Weston. Officer responded to assist.

Ballfield Road (1:35 p.m.) — Report of political signs stolen.

Tower Road (4:17 p.m.) — Caller complained about a work truck idling in front of their house. The driver was waiting for the homeowner to arrive home for a delivery.

Stratford Way (9:57 p.m.) — Report of kids ringing the door bell and running away. Officer checked the area but was unable to locate them.

Lincoln Cemetery (10:21 p.m.) — Two parties were talking inside a vehicle. Officer checked on them and they left the area.

October 25

Tally Ho Lane, Wayland (2:50 a.m.) — Wayland police requesting assistance with a report of a party with a gun. Officer responded and were cleared by Wayland officers; everything was fine.

Lincoln Road (3:37 an.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled over with hazards on. It was an Uber driver and everything was fine.

Lincoln Road (11:31 a.m.) — Report of political signs stolen.

October 26

Silver Hill Road (10:17 a.m.) — Caller reported a deceased fox on her property. Animal Control will contact the caller.

Old Concord Road (1:14 p.m.) — Caller reported hearing loud banging noises in the area of her residence. Officers checked but were unable to locate anything.

The Food Project, Concord Road (10:31 p.m.) — Officer checked on cars and a RV at the Food Project. Permission had been given to them.

October 27

National Park Visitors’ Center (12:58 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot for a couple of days with no one around it.

Codman Road (10:58 a.m.) — Caller reported a suspicious person who was seen near the alpacas in Codman Field. Report taken.

Wells Road (12:04 p.m.) — Officer delivered court paperwork to the residence.

October 28

Lincoln Road (12:31 p.m.) — Attempted to deliver court paperwork to the resident; no contact made. Paperwork successfully delivered at 4:03 p.m.

Category: news, police

Police dispatcher charged with child pornography resigns

November 3, 2020

The Lincoln police dispatcher arrested on October 13 for possession of child pornography resigned before a town termination hearing was to be held, Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy announced in a statement on November 3. He had been on administrative leave without pay since his arrest.

“The facts surrounding the alleged crime are extremely concerning and shocked all members of the department,” the statement said. “As a result of the Dispatcher Hughes’ arrest, the Lincoln Police Department conducted its own internal investigation. With the assistance of the Town’s IT Director and an independent computer consultant, a forensic examination was conducted on all of the Dispatch computers as well as on Dispatcher Hughes’ computer profile. The internal investigation revealed no evidence of inappropriate or criminal behavior via the use of the town’s computers.

“While the town was in the process of moving forward with a termination hearing, Dispatcher Hughes resigned his position on October 30, 2020.

“It is important for the Lincoln community to know that prior to hiring Dispatcher Hughes a thorough background investigation was conducted to include the submission of fingerprints into the national database. There were no indications of conduct or behaviors that would have cast any doubt on Dispatcher Hughes’ ability to carry out his duties as a public safety dispatcher.”

Category: news, police

Police log for October 9–14, 2020

October 29, 2020

Police received reports this week of unemployment claims that were fraudulently filed in the name of Lincoln residents on South Great Road and Page Farm Road.

October 9

Conant Road (12:32 p.m.) — Caller reported wires were down on the ground and on fire. Fire Department responded; Eversource notified.

Lincoln Road (5:55 p.m.) — Caller reported smoke in the area of the Ryan Estates. Fire Department responded and found that Codman Farm was burning in their pit.

Indian Camp Lane (6:43 p.m.) — Caller reported someone came to the house saying they needed to inspect it. Upon following up, the officer found that it was a legitimate visit from a social service agency

Todd Pond Road (6:49 p.m.) — Caller reported that solicitors had come to their door two days earlier selling magazines. No permit had been issued.

October 10

Sandy Pond Road (4:48 p.m.) — Four people fishing were sent on their way and advised that they couldn’t fish in the reservoir.

Lexington Road (7:20 p.m.) — Officer conducted a well-being check on a resident, who reported they now have phone service.

North Commons (8:03 p.m.) — Caller reported a neighbor was banging on the walls and stomping around. Officer responded; unable to make contact.

October 11

Virginia Road (1:45 p.m.) — Emerson Hospital requested a well-being check on a party. Officer checked and they were fine.

Sandy Pond Road (9:32 p.m.) — Lawn sign stolen from the five-way traffic island.

October 12

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (2:30 a.m.) — Officer stopped a vehicle and arrested Amanda Bright, 30, of Marlborough on a warrant for Larceny. She was later bailed.

Hanscom Vandenberg Gate (12:30 p.m.) — A party trying to enter Hanscom Air Force Base was found to have an arrest warrant. Daniel Mugavero, 26, of Lawrence was arrested on a warrant for traffic violations.

Sandy Pond Road (2:10 p.m.) — Lawn sign stolen from the five-way traffic island.

Drumlin Farm (4:17 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot with its door open and no one around.

Winter Street (7:46 p.m.) — After receiving multiple calls of an erratic motor vehicle operator, an officer came across the vehicle on Winter Street. After an investigation, Michael Feeney, 27, of Taunton was arrested for OUI–drugs, possession of Class A drug, and possession of a Class E drug. 

October 13

Doherty’s Garage (9:25 a.m.) — Officer took a report of someone possibly entering buses during the night. Doherty’s requested extra checks.

Mary’s Way (4:33 p.m.) — Caller reported being notified that his identity may have been compromised due to a data breach.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (9:21 p.m.) — State police requested assistance on Rte. 2 eastbound with multiple disabled vehicles due to flooding.

October 14

North Great Road (9:09 a.m.) — Report of an injured hawk in the roadway. An officer responded and located the hawk, which flew away.

Lincoln Road (2:53 p.m.) — Car vs. motorcycle crash at the intersection of Lincoln Road and Codman Road. One party was transported to the Lahey Clinic with minor injuries.

South Great Road (3:34 p.m.) — One-car crash (party struck a traffic sign). No injuries.

Lexington Road (5:18 p.m.) — Council on Aging requested a well-being check on a resident. Everything was fine.

Category: news, police

Police log for Sept. 25–Oct. 1, 2020

October 25, 2020

September 25

Red Maple Lane (10:36 a.m.) — Resident reported someone filed a fraudulent unemployment claim in their name.

Trapelo Road (12:45 p.m.) — Waltham police requested assistance in locating a suicidal person driving a vehicle in the Trapelo Road area. The vehicle was located at 2 p.m. on Rte. 2 westbound between Lexington Road and Bedford Road in Lincoln. The person was later found dead in the woods near the vehicle. Police said the dead man’s name was Alberto Cosco but did mot immediately provide any further information.

Griffiss St., Hanscom Air Force Base (4:35 p.m.) — A worker at the Hanscom commissary reported that a co-worker poked him during a dispute. Officer took a report; the reporting party was advised of the process if he chose to seek criminal charges.

September 26

South Great Road (8:37 a.m.) — Report of a deceased raccoon on the roadway. DPW notified.

Teddy Bear Club, Concord Road (9:28 a.m.) — Caller reported landscapers using a gas-powered leaf blower. Police advised landscapers of the by-law.

Carroll School, Baker Bridge Road (1:39 a.m.) — Caller reported landscapers using gas-powered leaf blowers. Officer arrived and the landscapers were using mowers; no signs of leaf blowers being used.

Hanscom Law Enforcement, Robbins Toad, Bedford (4:56 p.m.) — Caller reported a piece of his vehicle blew off on Hartwell Avenue earlier in the day and was no longer there. Caller was advised to contact Lexington police.

North Commons (10:16 p.m.; also September 27 at 4:48 a.m. and 8:20 a.m.) — Caller reported their neighbor was continuously banging on the wall. Caller asked it to be documented and they’ll contact the management company.

September 27

Concord Road (11:26 a.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on a party walking on Concord Road. Officer checked on the party, who asked for directions.
Lincoln Road (2:43 p.m.) — Resident called with a complaint regarding the amount of bicyclists not stopping at the stop signs at the five-way intersection. Complaint documented.

Huckleberry Hill (7:16 p.m.) — Unknown caller reported a resident was being scammed. Officer spoke to the resident, who reported that they were not being scammed. Officer also followed up with a family member

Page Road (9:50 p.m.) — Resident called to speak with an officer regarding an ongoing civil matter.

Weston Road (8:19 p.m.) — Officer assisting two people as they looked for a lost phone.

September 28

Beaver Pond Road (1:07 p.m.) — Resident reported that someone called them to purchase artwork and they believe it’s a scam. Party had not given no money or personal information. They were advised to ignore any future calls from the person.

Lincoln Road (3:40 p.m.) — Party called reporting an unleashed dog walking near the public safety building. The caller was advised that there is not a leash law in town.

Lincoln Police Department (4:58 p.m.) — Beverly police called looking for information on a vehicle that was previously involved in an incident in town.

Page Road (4:58 p.m.) — Caller requesting information regarding an ongoing civil matter. An officer spoke to the caller in regard to the matter.

Blueberry Lane (5:32 p.m.) — Caller reported they were walking in the area and came across a dog that was aggressive and wanted the incident documented.

Lincoln Road (6:42 p.m.) — Caller requested information on where they could load a car onto a car carrier.

MBTA station (7:41 p.m.) — Caller complained that their train was late. They were advised to contact the MBTA.

Minute Man National Park, Hartwell lot (7:57 p.m.) — Officer checked on vehicles parked in the lot after dark. The parties were sent on their way.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound) 8:37 p.m.) — Robert Walsh, 29, of Watertown was stopped and later arrested for OUI (second offense), speeding, and drinking from an open container. He was later bailed to appear in Concord District Court.

Huckleberry Hill (9:21 p.m.) — Caller reported their carbon monoxide detectors were going off. Fire Department responded and found zero CO readings

September 29

Linway Road (9:46 a.m.) — Caller report that someone filed a fraudulent unemployment claim.

Page Road (11:01 a.m.) — Officer assisting a party with a civil matter.

Lincoln Road (12:34 p.m.) — Caller reported an odor of natural gas in the home. The Fire Department responded and found zero readings.

Todd Pond Road (4:11 p.m.) — Caller reported an electrical burning odor in the home. Fire Department responded and found a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.

Sandy Pond Road (4:39 p.m.) — State police at Logan Airport reported that a drone was flying near Flints pond. Officers checked the area but found nothing.

September 30

Reported of trees and branches down starting at 7:33 a.m. on Old County Road (three reports), Conant Road (two reports), Winter Street, Davison Drive, and Old Sudbury Road. Report of wires down on Lincoln Road at 7:48 a.m.

Trapelo Road (8:21 a.m.) — Waltham police reported that Trapelo Road is closed on their side of the town line due to a transformer fire.

Browning Lane (11:15 a.m.) — Police Department investigating a case of identity fraud involving possible harassment.

Lincoln Road (12:21 p.m.) — Eversource asked for an officer to assist with traffic at the five-way intersection due to a power outage from storm-related damage.

The Commons (4:0 p.m.) — Multiple 911 calls from a party in the memory care unit looking for assistance. Officers confirmed that everything was fine.

Stonegate Gardens, South Great Road (6:10 p.m.) — Two vehicles were reportedly broken into while parked in the lot. The case is under investigation.

October 1

South Great Road (10:18 a.m.) — Weston police reported they received a call about a party yelling on the railroad tracks near the town line. Weston police later reported that they located the party.

Stonegate Gardens, South Great Road (11:28 a.m.) — Police received a report that a vehicle that was parked at Stonegate on September 30 was broken into. The case is under investigation.

Lincoln Road (2:41 p.m.) — Caller reported a fraudulent unemployment claim was filed in their name.

Weston Road (3:47 p.m.) — Report of a suspicious person walking on Weston Road. Officer checked the area but was unable to locate the party.

Category: news, police

Lincoln police dispatcher arrested on child pornography charge

October 14, 2020

Lincoln Police Department Dispatcher Spencer Hughes was arrested on October 13 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations for one count of possession of child pornography in violation of Title 18 USC 2252(a)(4)(B).

Hughes has been placed on administrative leave without pay. The town will conduct its own internal investigation and will take appropriate action, Police Chief Kevin Kennedy said in a statement, adding, “the crime alleged is very concerning and we will continue to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.”

The specific statute in question concerns possession and/or distribution of visual depictions involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, or up to 20 years if the visual depiction involves a minor under 12 or if the defendant has a prior conviction for sexual abuse or child pornography.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations has broad legal authority to enforce a diverse array of federal statutes and investigates all types of cross-border criminal activity, including cybercrime and human rights violations.

Kennedy would not comment further on Hughes as it involves an ongoing personnel matter. He referred questions to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston, which did not immediately return a phone call on Wednesday. Further information on Hughes was unavailable, though a Google search revealed that in 2019, he participated in a Cops for Kids with Cancer donation to a Burlington boy suffering from cancer.

Category: news, police

Police log for October 2–8, 2020

October 13, 2020

Police received reports this week of unemployment claims that were fraudulently filed in the name of Lincoln residents on Concord Road, Conant Road, Trapelo Road, Wells Road, Twin Pond Lane, and Huckleberry Hill.

October 2

Silver Hill Road (5:52 p.m.) — Caller reported seeing a child walking barefoot in the roadway.. Area checked but no sign of a child walking in the area.

Brooks Hill Road (6:09 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone called him looking for iCloud account information. No information was given to the apparent scammer.

October 3

Bedford Road (1:54 a.m.) — Caller reported the sound of a female scream in the area of Bemis Hall. Office checked the area but were unable to locate anything amiss.

Bedford Road (3:25 a.m.) — Kelvin Ko, 23, of Ayer was stopped on Bedford Road and later arrested for OUI/liquor and speeding.

Winter Street (6:02 p.m.) — Caller complained about tree work being done at a neighbor’s house. An officer spoke to the resident, who said the work would be done by 7 p.m.

Tower Road (6:42 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving a call asking them to purchase American Express gift cards as payment.

Old Concord Road (1:13 a.m.) — Caller requested information regarding a civil matter. Officer spoke to the caller and gave them given all legal options.

October 4

Mt. Misery parking lot, South Great Road (12:08 p.m.) — Caller complained about horses running on the trails and people not wearing masks at an annual event. An officer spoke to the coordinator of the event and advised all riders to wear masks.

North Great Road (12:08 p.m.) — Police received a 911 call about a child found in the National Park. The parents reported the child at the same time to the National Park staff. Officer responded to assist and helped reunite the child with the parents.

Drumlin Farm, South Great Road (3:07 p.m.) — Caller reported a dog being locked in a vehicle. Officer responded; the car’s window was partially open, it wasn’t hot out, and the dog appeared to be fine.

Trapelo Road (3:35 p.m.) — Police stopped a bicyclist for running the stop sign and gave them a verbal warning.

October 5

North Great Road (5:43 p.m.) — A bicyclist riding behind another person walking called out that he was going to pass on the left, at which point the walker took out a box cutter. There were words from the suspect about a friend getting knocked over by a bicycle. The suspect also allegedly made a statement that the bicyclist wasn’t wearing a mask. No arrests were made.

South Great Road (8:21 a.m.) — Caller reported someone was at his house who claimed to be from Dig Safe. Officer responded; the worker was at the wrong house.

North Commons (10:22 a.m.) — Caller reported an injured hawk in the area. The animal control officer was contacted to handle the matter.

Tower Road (3:29 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving a call from Publishers Clearinghouse stating they had won some money. No personal information was given over the phone.

October 6

Old County Road (2:05 a.m.) — A stop sign was vandalized with spray paint.

Morningside Lane (9:46 p.m.) — Caller reported a car parked outside their house for a while. Officer checked the area; two neighbors were talking.

October 7

Huckleberry Hill (9:55 a.m.) — Caller reported they couldn’t get in touch with a relative. An officer spoke to the homeowner and advised them to call the reporting party.

Tower Road (10:12 a.m.) — Caller reported an odor of natural gas outside their house. Fire Department responded and shut off the propane tank. Propane company responded. No gas readings inside the house.

Old Concord Road (1:48 p.m.) — Caller wanted to report their vehicle was stolen but was advised that it was a civil matter.

Old Lexington Road (4:05 p.m.) — Caller reported being possibly scammed by someone who claimed to be tech support staff who gained access to their computer.

Police received reports of trees and branches down starting at 5:51 p.m. until 2:41 a.m. on October 8 on Concord Road, Bedford Road, Lincoln Road, Trapelo Road, Weston Road, Sandy Pond Road, Codman Road, South Great Road, Mill Street, Bypass Road, Old Lexington Road, Brooks Road, Blueberry Lane, Tabor Hill Road, Meadow Dam Road, Todd Pond Road, Baker Bridge Road, Page Road, Conant Road, Grasshopper Lane, Granville Road, Meadowbrook Road, North Great Road, and Windingwood Lane.

North Great Road (5:50 p.m.) — A large tree fell on a passing car. No injuries but road was closed temporarily.

Lincoln Road (6:05 p.m.) — A tree fell on a vehicle; no injuries.

Doherty’s Garage, Lincoln Road (7:32 p.m.) — A vehicle drove off with the pump hose still attached. The hose was reattached to the pump.

Oak Knoll Road (7:35 p.m.) — Fire Department assisted a homeowner who was locked out of their house.

Todd Pond Road (9:24 p.m.) — Caller reported suspicious activity and possible scam by door-to-door solicitors.

South Great Road (11:30 p.m.) — Two-car crash, no injuries.

October 8

Todd Pond Road (9:15 a.m.) — Caller reported that a tree fell on their two cars parked in their driveway.

Concord Road (3:02 p.m.) — A car hit a tree. One party was transported to Emerson Hospital.

Hawk Hill Road (4:07 p.m.) — Caller reported being bitten by a dog earlier. Animal control officer will handle.

Sunnyside Lane (7:48 p.m.) — Caller requesting a well-being check on a resident. Resident was fine and will contact the reporting party.

Lexington Road (7:01 p.m.) — The Council on Aging requested a well-being check on a resident. An officer checked and found that resident was fine and has power restored.

Lincoln Road (7:12 p.m.) — A police cruiser stuck a deer but sustained no damage. The deer ran off into the woods.

Category: news, police

Leaked harassment allegations against Higgins result in uproar

September 30, 2020

(Editor’s note: this story was updated on October 1.)

A copy of a formal discrimination complaint by one town employee about another was posted to the LincolnTalk email list on September 29, and police are now investigating because the email that included the post was “spoofed” — fraudulently signed in the name of an elderly resident who knew nothing about it.

The electronic trail began on September 16 when Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney wrote up a complaint against Town Administrator Tim Higgins and emailed it to members of the Planning Board and the Board of Selectmen. Thirteen days later, someone included that complaint in a post on the LincolnTalk email list, which has about 1,500 subscribers.

The post’s header said it was from “Debra French” with the subject line “Compliant [sic] Filed by Jennifer Burney + Mary Day re: FEMALE HARASSMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT INSULTS made by Tim Higgins.” The preamble said in part, “I received this message below and find myself in deep concern over the severe allegations made! No women should be going through this!” It was received and automatically posted to LincolnTalk at 11:32 p.m. on September 29. 

There is, in fact, a Lincoln resident named Deborah French whose first name is spelled differently, but she was horrified to learn about the spoofing when police came to her door. It’s unclear who notified the police.

“I’m speechless. The police just came and told me about it,” French said on Wednesday. “That’s awful. I think anybody who knows me knows it was not from me, but I would love other people to know it too. I’m not tech-savvy at all — I was brought up with pencil and paper.” French’s late husband John French, who died in 2018, served on several town boards and committees and was also town moderator for 16 years.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, the Lincoln Squirrel received an almost identical email, but from a different return address (Thisis Anonymous <anonylincolnma@gmail.com>). The Squirrel has shared details of that email with Lincoln police. Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy would not comment on the matter.

Spoofing, according to the FBI, is when someone disguises an email address, sender name, phone number, or website URL to convince the recipient that they’re interacting with a trusted source. However, it’s unclear if spoofing is a crime if the sender is not aiming to defraud the recipient financially, install malware on their computer, or extract personal information.

Burney’s allegations

The LincolnTalk post included a copy of a September 16 email from Burney to the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen. It outlined complaints of discrimination, harassment, and intimidation alleging that Higgins targeted Burney and former Assistant Town Administrator Mary Day, who left her job unexpectedly in late May. 

Burney wrote in the complaint that she requested leave last spring under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for a family member. In coordination with experts she consulted, Burney agreed to a plan that would require her full-time presence to provide that care, she wrote.

Higgins asked all town employees to return to work in person on June 1, but Burney was still caring for her daughter and needed to continue working from home. She wrote that on May 28, “Day informed me that she would have paperwork within a week for potential options to those with schedule conflicts. I was quite concerned by the shocking message sent on a Saturday morning from Mr. Higgins, May 30th, stating that Ms. Day had resigned from her position effective immediately.”

In the complaint, Burney said that “Ms. Day confided in me that she did not resign, and in fact had to hastily leave the office after experiencing extreme intimidation by Mr. Higgins,” after which Day allegedly sought medical attention “due to the stress he caused her both in this situation and past scenarios.” Day could not be reached for comment.

Higgins “continued to try to delay and deny my FMLA leave, asking me to reconsider, while delaying and refusing to file the paperwork needed,” according to Burney. He “reluctantly” allowed her to begin leave on June 9 but then “berated” her upon her return on September 2 when she requested a hybrid home-and-office work schedule to accommodate her family member’s schedule. “Mr. Higgins verbally attacked my job performance by suggesting I give nothing to the town and all I do is, ‘take take take’,” she wrote.

Board of Selectmen involvement

At the June 22 Board of Selectmen meeting, Higgins told the board he planned to promote Parks and Recreation Department Director Dan Pereira to the Assistant Town Administrator position, which Day had vacated just over three weeks previously. At the same meeting, he announced that Burney had taken an FMLA leave of absence and that Assistant Director of Planning and Land Use Paula Vaughn-McKenzie would be acting Planning Director.

On September 21, five days after Burney’s email complaint to town officials, the Board of Selectmen met in executive session before their regular open meeting (as allowed by state law) “to hear a complaint against a public officer, employee, staff member or individual,” according to the meeting agenda.

“Please be advised that the Board of Selectmen had previously received the complaint that was recently published on the LincolnTalk listserv,” board chair James Craig said in an email to the Lincoln Squirrel on Wednesday. “The board has initiated an investigation that is being conducted by an independent third-party investigator. To respect the privacy of all parties, the board will not comment further on this matter pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Burney’s complaint also alleged that Higgins engaged in “unethical behavior and unprofessional comments” when he allegedly referred to the Lincoln Fire Department as “a bunch of Neanderthals.” A former member of a Lincoln town board governing body who asked to remain anonymous said, “That stuff is not a surprise to me… I’ve heard that stuff out of his mouth many times.”

Also at the June 22 meeting, Higgins praised the performance of acting Fire Chief Brian Young and recommended his permanent appointment to the position. 

Planning Board member Gary Taylor noted on Wednesday that the Board of Selectmen are handling the issue as a confidential personnel matter. As to who might have sent the emails to LincolnTalk and the Lincoln Squirrel, “even if I knew, I wouldn’t comment at this point — it would be speculation,” he said. “We all have to honor our obligations for confidentiality in everyone’s interests.”

Reactions from Higgins and Burney

“I need to defer to the Select Board for any comments regarding the Town’s response to the charges that have been made,” Higgins said in an email to the Squirrel. “I support the need for a thorough independent investigation and have committed my full and open cooperation to the process. I have faith and trust in the Town’s processes.” In a follow-up email, he added, “I do not want to compromise the integrity of the Board’s investigation in any manner. I have faith that people will discern the truth.”

“I can confirm that I sent emails to the Board of Selectmen and Planning Board with a complaint against Tim Higgins,” Burney told the Lincoln Squirrel in an email. “I DID NOT send any emails to you or to Lincoln Talk. I consider my letter confidential and was addressed to the Boards and not to the public. I have no idea who sent that as only Board of Selectmen and Planning Board members were in receipt of my email.” Asked for further comment, she wrote in a second email, “At this time I have no comment and I’d really like everyone to respect my privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”

LincolnTalk suspended temporarily

Early Wednesday morning, the three volunteer LincolnTalk moderators sent out an email saying that, as a result of the spoofing, all posts would be held for approval until further notice. As of 10 p.m. on Wednesday, nothing had been posted since the service was suspended that morning. Previously, anyone could sign up for a free LincolnTalk account by supplying an email address and then post messages directly to all other members.

“We are cooperating with the police investigation… and proceeding with extreme caution,”said Margit Griffith, one of the moderators. “We want to get things back up and running as soon as possible, but we need to investigate safeguards as much as we can with our listserv provider… seeing what we need to do to protect ourselves and LincolnTalk. We’re now a little gun shy and we’re saddened that people used LincolnTalk in this way.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Griffith said moderators hoped to have LincolnTalk back in service soon, “but when we restart, it’s unlikely there will be much [we will] let through that has anything to do with this. This is a Town of Lincoln human resources matter that’s being dealt with there, and it will not be adjudicated on LincolnTalk.”
 
At about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the moderators announced they we would start approving posts related to offers of free or for-sale items, general recommendations for service people, miscellaneous requests for information, and local events. No opinion pieces will be posted for the time being. “We’ll let you know when we’re ready to start bringing that sort of thing back. And we look forward to the day when we can release everyone from moderation and support and information can flow freely,” they wrote.

Category: government, news, police

Police log for September 18–24, 2020

September 29, 2020

September 18

Hillside Road (12:20 p.m.) — Caller reported someone filed a fraudulent unemployment claim in their name.

deCordova Museum (4:58 p.m.) — Caller reported individuals parking and unloading fishing gear. Officer located the parties and advised them to move along.

South Great Road (7:54 p.m.) — Jonathan Caso, 23, of 63 Florence Rd. in Waltham was arrested for OUI–liquor and speeding. He was later bailed to appear in Concord District Court for arraignment.

September 19

Weston Road (9:07 p.m.) — Street sign knocked over. DPW notified.

September 20

Mill Street (6:36 p.m.) — Caller reported that a forklift was parked in her driveway. Forklift was found to belong to a landscaping company doing work on the property.

Lincoln Woods (7:32 pm.) — Caller reported fireworks going off opposite Lincoln Woods. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate.

September 21

Lincoln Woods (10:57 a.m.) — Caller reported that employees from the mall were seen throwing trash in his dumpster. Officers spoke to the business owner, who will look into the issue and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Harvest Circle, 1:05 p.m. — Officer took a report of an attempted fraud via on online takeover of the party’s computer. Report taken. The party suffered no financial loss.

Carroll School, Baker Bridge Road (2:55 p.m.) — Caller reported leaf blowers were being used at the school. Officer responded and found no leaf blowers being used.

Lincoln Road (11:32 p.m.) — Resident called reporting that they were possibly scammed and personal information was acquired online. An officer took a report and advised the person to put a fraud alert on their personal information.

September 22

South Great Road (9:50 a.m.) ­— Caller reported that two males pulled up their driveway in a vehicle. One man got out and walked around the side of the house while the other went to the front door. The homeowner spoke to the man at the front door and asked them to leave the property. The two parties left. Officers checked the area and were unable to find them.

Wheeler Road, Concord — Officer assisted Concord police who are busy with other calls by responding to a crash and assisting the parties in exchanging paperwork. No injuries.

Donelan’s parking lot (5:51 p.m.) — Caller reported he believes his car was scraped while parked in the lot. He was advised to file a report with his insurance company.

September 23

Lincoln School (1:48 a.m.) — Officer checking on a vehicle parked in the school located several teen walking around the property. Contact made with their their parents; teens were advised to drive directly home.

Weston Road (7:21 a.m.) — Caller complained about noise from construction in the area with the sound of music being played. Officer spoke to the workers and asked if they’d turn down the music. The workers were cooperative.

Russett Court (7:22 p.m.) — Caller reported they were scammed while attempting to use their stimulus money. Report taken; the party will follow up with customer service in the morning.

September 24

Bowles Terrace (10:03 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone filed a fraudulent unemployment claim. Report taken; caller was also given the state’s website to file a report.

Lexington Road (1:24 p.m.) — Officer delivered legal paperwork to a resident.

Indian Camp Lane (3:15 p.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on a resident. While an officer was en route, the caller said they were able to speak with the resident.

Ridge Road (3:29 p.m.) — Caller reported their cat has been missing for a couple of days. Police have no reported of a found cat. 

Twin Pond Lane (4:44 p.m.) — Police received a 911 call reporting that a male had been stabbed in in a vehicle on Twin Pond Lane. As a result of an investigation, a juvenile was arrested and is facing delinquency charges of armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The juvenile was arraigned in Middlesex Juvenile Court on September 25. The victim sought treatment on their own at a local hospital. This was not a random act, but due to the age of the suspect, police could not provide further details. 

Greenridge Lane (7:06 p.m.) — Caller reported hearing gunshots. A subsequent caller reported hearing fireworks in the area. Police were unable to locate.

Lincoln Police Department (2:39 a.m.) — A party walked into the station looking to make a phone call for a ride due to their mobile phone dying. Party made arrangements for a ride home.

Category: news, police

Police log for week of Sept. 11, 2020

September 22, 2020

September 11

Marconi Auto, Concord Rd. (4:00 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party sitting in a vehicle; all was well.

Page Road (12:45 p.m.) — Caller asked to speak with an officer regarding a possible violation of a civil order. Officer spoke to the party and determined there was no violation.

Old Sudbury Road (3:02 p.m.) — Caller reported a low-hanging branch partially in the roadway. An officer coned off the roadway and contacted the DPW to respond.

[Read more…] about Police log for week of Sept. 11, 2020

Category: news, police

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