The following is based on selected Arlington Police Department logs from Oct. 24 through 30.
No arrests were reported.
Excerpts from the Arlington Police log:
Tuesday, Oct. 24
11:44 a.m. – Injury on Town Property. An elderly man walking on the bike path near Lake Street with his wife took a sudden fall due to a bad knee. When police arrived, the couple reported that the man's condition had stabilized and that no medical care would be needed.
4:31 p.m. – Hit and Run, Leaving the Scene of Property Damage. After several hours doing research at Robbins Library, a man returned to the library parking lot to find minor damage to his front bumper. The car owner had not noticed any vehicles adjacent to his when he parked, nor after, when he found the damage. Police arrived, logged the incident and took photographs for the man's insurance company.
6:45 p.m – Larceny under $1,200. An Amsden Street resident noticed electrical wiring missing from his outdoor Halloween display. A neighbor with a security camera found video from it showing an elderly man wearing a distinctive hat and jacket bending over and apparently fiddling with the wiring. By the time the police came, the two neighbors had a fairly good idea who the responsible party was. The police located that party, confirmed that he matched the person in the video and got him to return the wiring to its owner. No charges were filed.
Wednesday, Oct. 25
9:49 p.m. – Disturbance. Police were summoned to an apartment on Laurel Street, where they effectively mediated a loud disagreement among roommates concerning a missing coffee pot.
Thursday, Oct. 26
6:57 a.m. – Violation of a Town Bylaw. A Mill Street resident called police to complain about a large truck delivering propane before 8 a.m. As no truck was found when the police arrived, the incident was filed as “no consequence,” according to Capt. Richard Flynn.
Friday, Oct. 27
8:08 a.m. – Suspicious Persons. Two allegedly homeless persons were reported as loitering on Fairmont Street. The caller said he had asked them to “move on.” When police arrived, the alleged loiterers were nowhere to be found.
5:24 p.m. – Found Property. A resident found someone's credit card on Mystic Street and brought it to the police station. Officials determined that the name on the card was too common to identify a unique owner. Police now are holding the card at the police station, where the rightful owner may claim it.
Saturday, Oct. 28
8:48 a.m. – Larceny under $1,200. A black Trek mountain bike was reported stolen from a Mass. Ave. location. After the owner told police that an AirTag (Apple tracking device) had been attached to the bike, police followed the tracking signal to Bates Road. There they found the AirTag in grass by the roadside, apparently where the thief had discarded it. Police are investigating.
Sunday, Oct. 29
3:18 p.m. – Neighbor Problem. A Drake Road resident claimed that she had been riding an exercise bike when a co-resident of the building started yelling at her. When she tried to leave the exercise area, she said, the co-resident followed her out while continuing the tirade. Police arrived, spoke with the alleged verbal abuser and got him to agree to work with a police department clinician to better handle his rage.
9:59 p.m. – Suspicious Condition. A School Street resident called police to report a man who appeared to be asleep in a car. When police arrived, it was determined that the man in the car was the car's owner – and that he hadn't been sleeping, but making a cell phone call.
Oct. 26, 2023: Police blotter: Stopped for speeding, suspect has 3 active warrants
This column by YourArlington volunteer writer Chris Wilbur was published Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, based on information from Arlington Police Department daily logs and explanations from APD spokesman Capt. Richard Flynn.
