WESTFIELD
Emergency response and crime report
Friday, Jan. 16, 2015
12:17 a.m.: motor vehicle violation, Springfield Road, a patrol officer reports he observed a vehicle operating at a high rate of speed and stopped the car, the operator’s license was found to be suspended, Emmanuel Diaz, 24, of 83 Winter St., Springfield, was arrested for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and for speeding;
11:21 a.m.: larceny, Elm Street, a caller from a business co-located within a convenience store reports she saw a person shoplift candy from the other business, the responding officer reports the caller said that she recognized the suspect as a person who had previously stolen from the business she works for, the caller provided the officer the registration number of the vehicle the suspect left in, the officer reports that he called the suspect who is known to him but his call has not been returned;
11:53 a.m.: accident, Lockhouse Road, a caller reports a vehicle was struck in a railroad crossing, the responding officer reports a vehicle which attempted to cross the railroad tracks despite flashing lights and the approaching train with a whistle sounding was struck slightly by the train, the operator said that the vehicle in front of hers crossed the track and she saw a person motioning to her so she continued forward, a witness reported that two vehicles in front of the struck vehicle crossed safely and the operator of a vehicle in the opposing lane was motioning for the woman driving the car which was struck to back up but instead she pulled forward, the witness said that the train’s whistle sounded 10-15 times before the crash, the vehicle suffered only minor damage;
2:47 p.m.: breaking and entering, Old County Road, a caller reports she is watching a neighbor’s house while the family is away and the alarm sounded, the responding officer reports the caller said that the garage door and the door to the house were both found to be open, the officer reports apparently wind blew the garage door open, the residence was checked and the officer reports it does not appear to have been entered;
7:11 p.m.: pedestrian violation, Orange Street, a supervisory officer reports he observed a vehicle traveling in front of his cruiser swerve to avoid a pedestrian dressed in dark clothing who was walking in the roadway, the officer reports two other persons were walking on the sidewalk and when he stopped to ask the pedestrian in the roadway to walk on the sidewalk the man denied there was a problem, the officer reports one of the other pedestrians claimed that that the officer was harassing “people of color” by asking the man to walk on the sidewalk and argued with the officer before all three men eventually left the area, walking on the sidewalk;
10:16 p.m.: larceny, Springfield Road, a loss prevention employee of a Springfield Road department store called to request assistance with a shoplifter, the caller said that a woman had been in the store for two hours with a screaming toddler, the employee said that the woman made some purchases and then returned to the sales floor, the employee said that he watched the woman for about an hour as she put merchandise in the bags she had received when she made her initial purchases, the employee asked that the officer assist him as he served the woman with a ‘No trespassing’ order, the officer reports the woman readily admitted stealing from the store and was served with the order barring her from all the chain’s stores, the officer opined that he woman took her two-year-old child shoplifting with her to avoid being arrested if she was caught, the Department of Children and Families was notified, the woman said that her boyfriend had dropped her off but refused to identify or call him, the woman made several calls seeking a ride without success, a Good Samaritan provided the woman a ride to her home in Powder Mill Village on Union Street;
11:56 p.m.: larceny, Main Street, a resident came to the station to complain of a larceny from her apartment, the responding officer reports that she found a note from her landlord indicating that he had entered her apartment without giving her the notice required by law, the woman said that a fan was moved and that $250 in cash which had been on a bedside table is missing, the woman said she believes her landlord stole the cash, the officer reports he was unable to immediately contact the landlord.
