Police Log: Rash of Car Break-Ins, Corporate ID Theft, House Break

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Marmion Road Residents Discover Car Breaks on Saturday Morning

Saturday, Feb. 19. Some Marmion Road residents awoke on Saturday morning to find that their cars had been entered and items stolen. Melrose Police Chief Mike Lyle said that "some individuals overnight did what we call 'rattling doors'," i.e., checking for unlocked cars.

The burglars stole $100 from one car, hockey equipment from another car and got nothing out of a third car, Lyle said.

"Medford Police located a vehicle over there that was a stolen car and they found the hockey equipment in it," Lyle said. "They’re still working on processing the car to see if they can get any fingerprints off of it."

Company Reports Items Fraudulently Ordered Under Company's Name

Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2:03 p.m. Fotronic Corporation on Washington Street reported that someone used the company's information to set themselves up as if they were the company and ordered $2,000 worth of products, Lyle said. The company caught the orders before they shipped and canceled them.

The orders were going to residences in California, Georgia and Pennsylvania, Lyle said.

"(Fotronic Corporation) notified all their creditors of this and they’ve canceled all their accounts," he said. "They just wanted to document with us for insurance purposes."

Norman Road Home Broken Into Around Dinner Time

Friday, Feb. 18, 7:37 p.m. A Norman Road family left for dinner around 5:30 p.m. and returned home to find the glass sliding backdoor smashed in, Lyle said.

"The bad guy just booted the door in, double paned glass," he said. "It was in an obscured area where neighbors couldn’t see it, but I’m surprised they didn’t hear it."

The burglars stole over $200 worth of cash, passing up electronics equipment and prescription medications that were in the home and have "street value," Lyle said. One neighbor saw a dark car on the street with someone inside—"she saw the lit end of a cigarette," Lyle said—and another neighbor saw the car creep down the street, pick up someone and take off.

"We’re searching to see if any other police departments have had similar incidents," Lyle said. "It goes right back to if she (the neighbor) called the police when she saw the guy sitting in the car ... I’ve been saying it all along—we need the community’s assistance. We can’t do it alone. There’s thousands of houses in Melrose and we can’t be everywhere at once."

Other Incidents

Monday, Feb. 14, 2:22 p.m. Report of a bag of hypodermic needles on Larrabee Place. Items picked up and disposed.

 Monday, Feb. 14, 5:30 p.m.  Managers from Shaw’s called to request an officer; they had a shoplifter in custody.

 Thursday, Feb. 17, 6:32 a.m. Pole and transformer on fire at Porter Street and Lincoln Street. National Grid on scene.

Friday, Feb. 18, 12:35 p.m. Larceny of wallet from Stearns and Hill's Bistro.

Friday, Feb. 18, 3 p.m. Call from Malden Police on past assault at Town Line Inn.

Other Arrests and Summons

A 51-year-old Melrose man was issued a summons on Monday, Feb. 14 on the charge of violating an abuse prevention order.

Marc S. Seferian, 41, 35 Main St., Apt. 12, Ogunquit, ME, was arrested on Tuesday, Feb. 15 on charges of OUI liquor (second offense), failing to stop for police and failing to stop/yield to red light.

A 26-year-old Malden woman was issued a summons on Tuesday, Feb. 15 on charges of larceny by check under $250 and forgery of check

 A 41-year-old Saugus woman was issued a summons on Wednesday, Feb. 16 on the charge of assault and battery.

A 54-year-old Melrose woman was issued a summons on Wednesday, Feb. 16 on the charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

A 33-year-old Lynn woman was issued a summons on Friday, Feb. 18 on the charge of larceny from a person.

Raquel L. Todd, 35, 340 Main St., Apt. 609, was arrested on Saturday, Feb. 19 on the charge of domestic assault and battery.