Police Log: Snowblower Stolen During Heat Wave

by | Aug 2, 2020

Thief appears to be planning ahead

By Andrew Belfry

Monday, July 20

9:10 a.m. – Police returned a small puggle to its home on Squirrel Lane.

10:10 a.m. – Police arrested an East Greenwich woman, 25, for driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent and larceny to the amount of $1,500. The woman’s grandparents told police that she had stolen their vehicle and a debit card which was used to make an $80 purchase. Additionally, the woman said she’d hit a boulder on Carrs Pond Road damaging the vehicle. 

Tuesday, July 21

2:16 a.m. – In routine checks, police found an unattended car in the East Greenwich High School parking lot with a license plate did not match the vehicle’s information. The car was unlocked, police found license plates in the car that matched the vehicle’s information, and the licenses plates on the car were not registered as stolen.  

8:49 a.m. – An individual walked into EGPD and inquired about harassing phone calls. Police spoke to both parties who agreed not to contact each other.

12:17 p.m. – A concerned resident contacted police about three children jumping off the harbormaster’s boat at the dock on Crompton Avenue. Police were unable to find the children until later in the day and found they were using the vessel to pull themselves back onto the dock. They determined there was no cause for concern.

4:08 p.m. – Police found a tent at the lower boat ramp on Crompton Avenue but did not find the person using it.

4:45 p.m. – A caller expressed concern about a teenager speeding on a dirt bike on Cedar Avenue and failing to obey stop signs. Police found a group of teenagers riding electric bicycles on the sidewalk.

7:02 p.m. – Police assisted a resident who requested police keep the peace when he retrieved belongings from his home.

Wednesday, July 22

12:53 p.m. – A man in his 40s of medium build attempted to purchase a vibrating heat therapy belt with a $1,500 gift certificate at the Massage Envy at 1000 Division Street on July 19. The manager informed police that when asked to provide identification the man left the store and did not return, abandoning the gift certificate which was found to be a copy of a legitimate gift certificate that had already been depleted of funds. Police learned a man fitting this suspect’s description had attempted to purchase items at Massage Envy stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts with a gift certificate.

5:08 p.m. – Someone told police about a group of teenagers riding bicycles through the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru on Main Street and harassing customers; police did not find the youths.

10:19 p.m. – Police had a Providence man’s car towed after he was stopped on First Avenue at Division Street by DEM police for violating the curfew at Goddard State Park. The man said he’d had a couple of beers but appeared to be too intoxicated to drive, which was confirmed by a roadside sobriety test. There were three other people in the car; none were able to drive the car, so police said it would have to be towed. At that point, the driver threatened to have the officer fired, saying his cousin worked at the White House. The car was towed and the driver along with the passengers refused a ride from police back to the station. [Editor’s Note: According to Police Chief Steven Brown, the driver was not arrested for DUI because he was pulled over by DEM police not EGPD. Without witnessing the arrest, Brown said, the EG officer on the scene decided there was not enough probable cause. The DEM officer, meanwhile, does not have jurisdiction to make an arrest beyond DEM-controlled property. “Multi-jurisdictional stops are more difficult because you have to rely on witnesses rather than first-hand observations,” said Brown.]

Thursday, July 23

1:57 a.m. – EGPD assisted Coventry PD in a road rage incident that resulted in minor damage to a vehicle and a verbal argument that occurred in the McDonald’s parking lot on the New London Turnpike. 

5:10 a.m. – Three wallets were stolen out of two vehicles overnight at a home on Bow Street. The victims stated that an assortment of cash and credit and debit cards were stolen out of the cars, which were all unlocked. A flashlight was found in one of the cars that was taken into evidence along with a glove that was located in the front yard under a sprinkler near the driveway. The credit card company told the victim’s that one of the debit cards was used in Windsor, Conn., sometime after midnight. 

8:47 a.m. – A Bow Street resident informed police that someone went through the family’s unlocked car in the driveway but did not wish to file a report.

8:49 a.m.A Crestridge Drive resident reported someone went through her husband’s unlocked car.

6:27 a.m.A Maplewood resident reported his gray 2015 Q50 Infiniti was stolen out of his garage. He told police that he had returned from a trip late the night before and had forgotten to shut the garage door. In addition, he stated he left his keys in the center console of the unlocked car. There were two sets of golf clubs in the trunk of the vehicle. 

7:43 a.m.Another Maplewood resident contacted police after her white 2016 Hyundai Tucson was stolen overnight from her driveway. The victim stated that she locked her car with a key fob in the car, however officers informed her that cars generally do not lock with a key fob inside. There was no sign of forced entry at the scene. A water thermos that had been inside the vehicle was left at the residence and was taken into evidence.  

8:15 a.m.A Downing Street resident reported her 2019 Silver Audi X8 stolen. The resident told police the vehicle was missing from her driveway in the morning and she feared the key fob, which she could not locate, may have fallen out of her purse the day before and was in the unlocked vehicle. A garage door opener that was in the vehicle was left at the residence and was taken into evidence. The resident later located the car in Hartford, Conn., using a locator app on her phone. The car appeared to be fine, except for a strong odor of marijuana and Hot Pockets. 

10:57 a.m. – An East Greenwich resident told police he was struck in the middle of Courthouse Lane by a black Honda. The man, who fell backwards and sustained a small scrape to his right elbow, stated he told the driver to stop but she later told police she did not see the man. The man refused medical attention and there was no damage to the trunk of the woman’s vehicle. 

11:20 a.m. – A Lafayette Drive resident told police someone went through his mother’s car but nothing was stolen.

11:40 a.m. – A Crestridge Drive resident reported a garage door opener missing. 

1:04 p.m.A Crestridge Drive resident informed police of gift cards stolen from their car.

5:08 p.m. – Police transported a small black and white miniature male Australian Shepard to North Kingstown Animal Shelter from Lenihan Lane where a resident told police about the lost dog they found in their driveway.

Friday, July 24

12:58 a.m. – Police received a report of a large group of people walking down First Avenue. Officers determined the group was just heading back to a residence on Main Street. 

11:56 a.m. – A caller told police a man was using a coat hanger to get into a vehicle outside of Studio Nails at 1000 Division Street. Police found the vehicle to be secured.

12:13 p.m. – A Frenchtown Road resident was eating lunch after cutting his lawn when an unknown black vehicle drove between the telephone pole and his shrubs over his front yard. The vehicle came to a stop after driving through a shrub. The driver had to back up the car several times before getting it back onto the roadway.

1:29 p.m. – A Grand View Road homeowner contacted police after spotting a white man wearing a hat on his surveillance camera while on vacation. Police were unable to find the man and the house was secured. 

6:28 p.m. – Police advised management at Waysider Grill on Post Road to turn down the outdoor music after local residents complained. 

8:12 p.m. – A Hemlock Drive resident told police a man wearing a baseball cap was ringing doorbells and attempting to sell pest control services. 

8:32 p.m. – Residents called police to tell them some kids were on the roof of Swift Community Center; police did not find anyone. 

Saturday, July 25

6:25 p.m. – A caller told police about a man driving erratically near the CVS parking lot on Main Street. Officers determined that the erratic driver was having a verbal argument on his cell phone at the time.

8:13 p.m. – Police responded to Water Street to determine if fireworks were being shot off in the area. Officers searched the waterfront; finding nothing, they surmised the fireworks had been lit from a boat or at Goddard Park.

Sunday, July 26

6:22 a.m. – A landscaping company was making so much noise on South County Trail that a resident called police. Officers informed the company to keep the machine engines off until at least 7 a.m. 

8:26 a.m. – A Cooper Lane resident reported the theft of his Craftsman snowblower that he had left against one of the exterior walls of his residence.

12:07 p.m. – Three cars that were parked directly across from a “No parking either side, tow zone” sign on Middle and Carrs Pond Roads were ticketed and towed.

2:59 p.m. – A caller told police two women were fighting in the parking lot between the now closed Outback Steakhouse and Ruby Tuesdays on Division Street. Police determined the fight was verbal and between two sisters. The parties were separated and one left the scene in an Uber. 

3:54 p.m. – Police broke up a group of juveniles on bicycles darting in and out of traffic from the parking lot of CVS on Main Street. 

11:43 p.m. – A resident told police that his girlfriend had never arrived from Boston to visit him after telling him she would. He could not reach her by phone; police determined she was having car trouble.


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Judi Zimmer
Judi Zimmer
August 2, 2020 5:29 pm

You know, folks, a lot of car break-ins (maybe all) would be avoided if you just LOCK YOUR CARS!!!!!

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