Around Town

Hundreds Celebrate Watertown Strong Spirit at 3rd Annual 5K Run

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Nearly 500 runners and walkers came out to take part in the race that was created to celebrate the spirit shown in Watertown after the capture of the Boston Marathon Bombers. 

Participants in third annual Watertown Strong 5K enjoyed sunny weather on Sunday. New Police Chief Michael Lawn thanked all those who came out to join in the race, or just to come watch. He remembered how the Watertown community pulled together during the lockdown and celebrated after the the capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on April 19, 2013. Retired-Police Chief Edward Deveau also attended the event, which started and ended at Tufts Health Plan. As she has the last two years, Caillie Hughes performed her song “That Night” and sang the National Anthem before the race.

Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighters Douse 2 Alarm Fire at Company on Walnut Street

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A fire ignited around dawn at an empty lab on Walnut Street Monday morning, and Watertown Firefighters knocked down the two-alarm blaze in a potentially hazardous situation. Doble Engineering was closed when the Fire Department received a report of an alarm at about 6:30 a.m. Monday, said Deputy Fire Chief Rob Iannetta. “It came in as a regular smoke detector activation, like we have done 100 times before,” Iannetta said. “When we go there, the whole first floor was filled with smoke. Soon after the sprinkler system activated.”

Arrests

Police Log: Man Tries to Walk Away from Hit & Run Accident, Fendi Bags Stolen

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest
April 7, 10:50 p.m.: An officer patrolling near Palfrey Street was called to the area for an accident and saw a man walking down the sidewalk and a second man running after him. About the same time, dispatch received a call for an accident where a driver hit a parked car on Palfrey Street. The second man told police that he saw the first man get out of his car which was parked in the middle of the street, just down the street. The officers talked to the man who is suspected to have been driving the car and he had an odor of alcohol on his breath, so police conducted field sobriety tests.

Drug Arrest

Watertown Police Nets Dealer as Part of Drug Force Sting

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A Watertown man faces charges of dealing drugs after he was arrested in a joint investigation by the Watertown Police Department and the Suburban Middlesex County Drug Task Force. On the afternoon of April 5, Watertown Police got a search warrant for an apartment on Winter Street, near the parking lot of the Watertown Free Public Library. Working with the Drug Task Force, police staked out the area of the building, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “A vehicle pulled up and entered the lot of the apartment complex. Police observed a man go into building and a short time later walked back to the vehicle,” O’Connor said.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Hit-and-Run Driver Arrested on OUI, Employee Caught Taking Money

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
March 29, 4:45 p.m.: Police received a report of a hit-and-run accident on Common Street after a car struck a parked car on the hill section of the road. The vehicle was last seen heading southbound toward Watertown Square. It was located on Katherine Road and the officer spotted heavy front-end damage and fluids leaking from the car. During and interview, the officer detected an odor of alcohol on the breath of the driver, and conducted field sobriety tests.

Arrests

Man Busted After Attempting to Take Bike Out from Under Cyclist

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A Newton man faces criminal charges after he tried to grab the bicycle out from under a bicyclist riding down Pleasant Street just before midnight on March 31. 

Police were called to the area of Pleasant Street near Russo’s for a man wearing a mask, yelling and running in and out of traffic, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. A few minutes later an employee from Russo’s reported a man fitting the same description was in the store parking lot near the loading dock. “An officer located the person and was able to control the situation,” O’Connor said. He also spoke to a man who said the suspect attacked him. “The victim stated while he was riding his bicycle home on Pleasant Street the man jumped out in front of him and attempted to take his bicycle,” O’Connor said.

Arrests

Watertown Man Arrested in Framingham When ‘Prank’ Goes Wrong

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A Watertown man faces charges of burglary when he was caught with items from his friend’s Framingham apartment hanging out of his clothes. Bobby Martin, 28, of Watertown was arrested and charged with larceny over $250 on April 2. According to the MetroWest Daily News, Martin took $1,000s worth of jewelry, hats and a machete but was caught by his friend in the apartment building parking lot. Martin told police he was just playing a prank on his friend. See more details and read the whole story by clicking here.

Police/Fire

Beware of IRS Phone Scam Targeting Watertown Residents

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The Watertown Police Department warns residents to be aware of an ongoing scam where a caller poses as an IRS official and threatens arrest if a payment is not sent. 

Monday afternoon, the Watertown Police Department sent out the following information:

Please be advised there has been a recent phone scam where the scammers identified themselves as the IRS from a spoofed (fake) IRS phone number. The scammer demanded money over the phone and threatened the victim with arrest if they refuse. The Watertown Police Department wants to advise residents to be suspicious of phone calls that involve money or ask for personal identifying information (DOB, SSN, checking account numbers). Whether it be the IRS threatening with arrest or the bank asking for personal information; most of these cases are scams. In these instances hang up with the caller and contact the main business line of the organization they claim to be with to verify their statements. Caller ID can be tricked so do no assume that the call is legitimate because you recognize the phone number.