Westport resident arrested for cultivating marijuana.
EverythingWestport.com Thursday, January 07, 2010 Buy local, buy
smart does not apply to all crops as one Westport resident recently discovered. Press Release
Officers secured the property while investigators obtained
a search warrant to search the property and located 19 Marijuana plants
growing in pots in a grow room in the basement. The room was set up with grow lamps, moisture reducers,
exhaust vents, thermometers and power inverters. The room was sectioned off from the rest of the basement
with plastic sheathing to reflect heat onto the plants. Officers also seized numerous containers of liquid
fertilizer, potting soil, water purifiers, records detailing the production
of marijuana plants, and water alkaline test kits. Officers also located a drying room
adjacent to the grow room. The room
would commonly be used for drying the plant buds after they are clipped from
the plants when being harvested. Mr. Brown also had computer records and photos of earlier
Marijuana grow productions that took place inside the home. Mr. Brown was charged with the arrest warrant that was for
motor vehicle charges as well as the Cultivation of Marijuana. A full-grown plant would yield about $
1,000 dollars worth of street value Marijuana. Several Westport Officers participated in the
investigation along with Dartmouth Police Officer Jared White and K9 Partner
“Topper”, and representatives from the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office. Police Spokesman Detective Jeff Majewski Westport police
join seatbelt crackdown. EverythingWestport.com Friday, November 20, 2009 Police
warn: Click it or ticket! Westport police have recently joined
with state officials and other police departments by taking part in the holiday
‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign. The campaign is sponsored by the Massachusetts
Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. “Buckle up or pay a fine,” Police Chief Keith A. Pelletier said. “Crashes occur every day in Massachusetts where people are injured because of the lack of using seat belts. Unfortunately, in Massachusetts during 2008, 64 percent of the occupants involved in fatal crashes had not been using seat belts” – a number that is nine percent higher than the national average. “The state of Massachusetts has asked all police chiefs to get on board with this program, and we have,” said Chief Pelletier. “We’re going to buckle down on those who don’t
buckle up,” he said. “In the past we have given lots of verbal
warnings when motorists in Westport were stopped for other offences. Now we
will ticket all those secondary seat belt violations.” At this time mandatory seatbelt use
in Massachusetts is a secondary offence for an adult over 16 (either driver
or passenger), meaning the vehicle must be stopped for another violation
before the driver can be ticketed. “However, a seatbelt violation is a
primary offence for a child 12 and under who is not buckled up,” Deputy Chief
Gifford said. “Drivers are responsible, however, for the use of seat belts
for passengers under 16 years old; passengers older than 16 years old will
receive their own ticket for failing to wear a seat belt.” Efforts to spot and site those who
don’t use seatbelts focuses on the principle, “buckle up or pay the price.” M.G.L. Chapter 90: Section 13A. Seat belt use required.
(as of October 29, 2009) “Any person who operates a motor vehicle without a safety
belt, and any person sixteen years of age or over who rides as a passenger in
a motor vehicle without wearing a safety belt in violation of this section,
shall be subject to a fine of twenty-five dollars. Any operator of a motor
vehicle shall be subject to an additional fine of twenty-five dollars for
each person under the age of sixteen and no younger than twelve who is a
passenger in said motor vehicle and not wearing a safety belt. The
provisions of this section shall be enforced by law enforcement agencies only
when an operator of a motor vehicle has been stopped for a violation of the
motor vehicle laws or some other offense.” Since the first Click it or Ticket
campaign in 2002, national seatbelt use has increased to 87 percent, but one in four Bay Staters still do
not buckle up when driving. “Boston, MA -- The Executive Office of
Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) has announced the results of its 2009
Statewide Belt Use Observation Survey. Funded by EOPSS through a federal
grant, the survey revealed that 74% of Massachusetts drivers are wearing
their seat belts. This represents an increase of 7 percentage
points from 2008 when only 67% buckled up. "We are glad that many more citizens
are buckling up, but we will continue to work with law enforcement and
other partners to educate the public until we reach our goal of 100% seat
belt usage," said Sheila Burgess, Director of Highway Safety for EOPSS”. “For all of you that continue to obey
the law by buckling up please continue to do so because it just might save
your life,” Chief Pelletier said.
Two Turtle Doves and a Reefer-bag
in a Holly tree. EverythingWestport.com Tuesday, July 28,
2009 Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Marijuana grows in Holly tree. What next! Press Release
Two officers responded and observed the bags as the caller had
described. From the ground it could
not be determined what the contents were.
A thermal imager showed heat coming from the bags and binoculars could
not give an indication of the contents as the bags were hidden near the Holly
tree’s branches and leaves. The Westport Highway Department assisted the police with a hydraulic
lift bucket truck. An officer was
lifted into the air and to the bags.
The contents of the bags could only be seen within a couple of feet away. The officer noticed that the bags contained
marijuana plants in different stages of growth. In total there were three burlap bags tied
together with a small rope. Inside the
bags were potting soil. The largest
plant was about five feet tall. The plants
were still growing and can only be harvested when they produce buds on the
plant(s). The bags were brought down and the three marijuana plants were
confiscated. “Everyone felt that the
bags concealed some sort of crime or illegal material however, no one
expected to see plants growing inside the bags intertwined within the trees
leaves. It was a first for the
officers involved in the case.”
Officers checked the area for additional plants but were unable to
locate any other plants. Police Spokesman Detective Jeff Majewski Tuesday, July 7,
2009 Is no place sacred. Press Release Westport police arrest Town Hall
Annex Burglar.
Mr. Lucas became the focus of the investigation after investigators
lifted latent fingerprints at the scene that implicated Mr. Lucas. The latent prints were sent to the State
Police Crime Scene Services and later revealed a match. During the break the culprit(s) stole an undetermined amount of cash,
and two video cameras valued at approximately four thousand dollars. There was also damage to the inside of the
property as well as an exterior window, which was used to gain access. The incident remains under investigation by Officer Matthew Stains and
the detective division. Police Spokesman Detective Jeff Majewski Wednesday, July 01,
2009 Forewarned is forearmed. Press Release Westport police arrest group of
Cape Verde men in assault at Gooseberry. On July 1, 2009 Brockton resident Licino Fernandes Lopes, age 22 of 11
Nye Square in Brockton was arrested in connection with an armed robbery that
occurred at Gooseberry Island (Horseneck Beach State Reservation) on June
27th at approximately 5:45AM. During
the robbery two fishermen were next to the shoreline when the group of Cape
Verde men approached them. Some of the
men began throwing rocks at one of the fisherman who had told them to
stop. The men did not stop and the
fisherman was struck in the leg with a rock.
That person called out to a second fisherman who was not known to him
and asked for him to call 911 for help. Approximately five of the seven Cape Verde men focused their attention
to the second fisherman who was 74 years old and attacked him while holding
rocks. During the attack the fisherman
was robbed of his wallet with approximately $500 dollars in cash. One of the men threw his empty wallet back
at him after he removed the money. The
men ran from the area and entered two vehicles. One vehicle was a red mini-van and the
second vehicle was a white Toyota Camry. The police were called and located the Toyota parked at the Rest Area
on Rte 88 near the beaches. Two of the
men were inside the vehicle. These men
assisted the police in identifying six additional men who were present during
the incident. Officer Fernando
Goncalves and Robert Reed along with detectives investigated the
incident. Licino Lopes was arrested by members of the State Police Violent
Fugitive Apprehension Section, along with the Brockton Police Detectives and
the Westport Police. He was located
inside his girlfriend’s apartment in the Battles Farm Apartment Complex in
Brockton. One additional male and a sixteen-year-old will also be charged with
the same offenses as Licino Lopes.
They will be charged with Armed Robbery, Assault and Battery on an
Elderly Person, Assault and Battery Dangerous Weapon (stones), Larceny over $
250 dollars and Intimidation of a Witness.
Four of the men will also be charged with Disturbing the Peace while
Armed. All of the men are from
Brockton. The incident remains under
investigation. Police Spokesman Detective Jeff Majewski Wednesday, June 10,
2009 It seems that the need for money has no boundaries on how to illicitly achieve it
as Westport police arrest a Canadian citizen living in New Bedford who has
ripped-off at least five Westport businesses with a “damsel in distress”
scam. Read on . . . Press Release “Arrest of Damsel in
Distress”
At least five Westport businesses were the target of the scam where she had stated that she needed to get to work at Mass General Hospital or the Veteran’s Hospital in Brockton depending on who she was speaking with. She would also mention that she had recently moved in up the street and was a doctor in residency at the hospital and would even pretend to call her husband from the store that she would scam. In nearly all of the cases she would be loaned twenty or forty dollars with the promise to repay the money the following day. She would target businesses and never return to pay back the cash. Mrs. Baldassari told police that she began the scam several months ago and stated that at first her story was simple. She would tell people that she needed money for gas with the intent to repay the victim. She explained that later she added to the story by concocting the need to get to work at the hospital and being a neighbor in need. She told police that she would be alone to perform the scam while driving her 2001 grey Dodge Caravan. Mrs. Baldassari travels back and forth from Montreal Quebec Canada where her parents live. She told police that she had scammed about thirty different businesses since she started the scam to pay for car insurance, family events and everyday expenses. She told police that she had recently scammed people in Taunton and Dartmouth along with other communities. She told police that she would scam for about one week in a location then move on to another town or city so she would not spend too long in one place. She is currently being charged with one count of larceny under 250 dollars. The investigation is on-going and expected to add several additional counts of larceny under 250 dollars. Police Spokesman Detective Jeff Majewski Westport police
join seatbelt crackdown. EverythingWestport.com Friday, May 29, 2009 Westport police have recently joined with state officials and other police departments by taking part in the Buckle Up Campaign. “The state of Massachusetts has asked all police chiefs to get on board with this program, and we have,” said Deputy Chief John Gifford. “We’re going to buckle down on those who don’t
buckle up,” he said. “In the past we have given lots of verbal
warnings when motorists in Westport were stopped for other offences. Now we
will ticket all those secondary seat belt violations.” At this time mandatory seatbelt use
in Massachusetts is a secondary offence for an adult over 12 (either driver
or passenger), meaning the vehicle must be stopped for another violation
before the driver can be ticketed. “However, a seatbelt violation is a
primary offence for a child 12 and under who is not buckled up,” Deputy Chief
Gifford said. Efforts to spot and site those who
don’t use seatbelts focuses on the principle, “buckle up or pay the price.” Senate
Bill 950 now before the Massachusetts Senate would amend Massachusetts’
existing seat belt law to make the Commonwealth a primary enforcement seat
belt state. Massachusetts is one of only a handful of states with a primary
seatbelt law. “We pay more in insurance because of that statistic,” Deputy
Chief Gifford said. Since the first Click it or Ticket
campaign in 2002, national seatbelt use has increased to 83 percent, but one in three Bay Staters do not
buckle up when driving. “Congress has
created an incentive program to encourage states to pass primary seat belt
laws. But the incentive program ends this year. If we pass the bill by July
1, 2009, Massachusetts would receive more than $13 million for use in
traffic safety efforts in the state this year. If we fail to act, we will
forfeit this money,” said Sean Kane, Chairman of MASS PINN (Massachusetts Prevent Injuries NOW! Network). “For all of you that continue to obey
the law by buckling up please continue to do so because it just might save
your life,” Police Chief Keith A. Pelletier said. Westport police
report recent attention-grabbing day-time robberies. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday, April 08, 2009 A baseball bat-wielding man and a cat burglar contractor give rise to
the concern that our struggling economy may produce a rash of daytime
robberies not seen before in Westport. These robbery attempts serve to remind
us to be ever vigilant in protecting our homes, automobiles and businesses.
Report to police immediately any suspicious activity in your neighborhood. Watch your neighbors’ homes. Lock your home
and car doors before leaving them unattended. Be sure you know who you are
allowing into your house. It is advised not to allow unattended work in your
home unless the contractor is bonded (ask for proof) and they provide
references. Respectable contractors will provide both. Many automobiles have been recently broken into during the daytime at
the Cherry & Webb parking lot by thieves smashing a door window. Don’t
leave purses or valuables in a car that thieves can see. Take them with you! Lock them in the trunk. It’s best not to
leave blankets or coats in a car as they will raise suspicion that something
is hidden under them. You may end up with a broken window and the aggravation
of getting it fixed. These thieves are hanging around in the parking lot
waiting for their opportunity. Report
any suspicions immediately to the police. (508)
636-1122 “Attempted Robbery and Assault” EverythingWestport.com April 6, 2009 On April 6, 2009 at approximately 10AM the Westport Police
were called to the B&E Country Store located at 526 Sanford Road for an
Attempted Robbery where the store clerk was assaulted with a baseball
bat. In addition to the store clerk
calling 911 an alert motorist also called the police to report that a male
had entered the store with a black mask covering his face holding the
baseball bat. The suspect entered the store and demanded money from the
store clerk. The suspect hit the clerk
with the baseball bat and fled the scene.
The store clerk had held a wooden object in his hand to defend himself
from the suspect and was struck in the hand. The suspect also tried to steal money from a lottery
machine by hitting the machine with the bat to break into it. The suspect fled the scene in a newer model dark colored
Sport Utility Vehicle (possibly a Ford Explorer) and may have an out of State
Registration Plate. The suspect was described as a: ·
Caucasian male in his late 40’s to
early 50 years of age. ·
Approximately 5’5 to 5’6” tall ·
Heavy set ·
Short hair (possibly salt and pepper
colored) The Westport Police are asking that anyone with
information please contact (508) 636-1122. Police Spokesman Detective Jeff Majewski “Contractor disables alarm system to return later
and break into house” EverythingWestport.com April 3, 2009 On March 30, 2009 the Westport Police were called to 11
Gabriella Lane in Westport after the homeowner came home and discovered his
newly constructed home was broken into.
He told police that he had just moved into the house with his family
the day before. During the
investigation it was revealed that the alarm system had been tampered with so
that it would not activate during a break-in. NAC Security uncovered the source of the issue with the
alarm. It was determined that the
culprits had planned this crime days in advance. The general contractor had shut off the
alarm system five days earlier when he had opened the home for two employees
of a heating and air conditioning contractor named (All Temp Control). Within twenty minutes of entering the house
one of the HVAC employees cut the wiring to the alarm system basement window
and disconnected a battery back up to the alarm. The employee then finished his workday
installing the heat and A/C system. Five days later the house was broken into. A witness also saw that employee’s pickup
truck at the home during the time of the break in. Several thousand dollars worth of items
were stolen. As a result of the investigation Pedro “Peter” Benjamin,
age 27 of 30 Kay Street in Fall River, Ma. was arrested on April 2, 2009
after a traffic stop in Westport. Mr.
Benjamin told police that he was laid off from his full-time Mason employment
and was working as needed with the HVAC Company. Mr. Benjamin explained that he had
previously worked as an electrician.
Incredibly the HVAC owner told police that his apprentice (Mr.
Benjamin) was not his problem after police questioned him about his
apprentice being unsupervised in the basement and tampering with the
alarm. This suspect’s MO (method of operation) was unique as he
had specific knowledge about wiring and alarm systems. “It is disappointing to think that trusted
individuals that we have in our homes would plot to steal from us the way
that this suspect did.” “He planned
this crime five days in advance”. We are asking that the public call the police if they see
anything suspicious in their neighborhood.
It only takes a few seconds to call the police and we will respond to
check the area as quickly as possible. Officer Mario Dacunha and the Detective Division
investigated the incident. Police Spokesman Detective Jeff Majewski - - - - -
End - - - - - © 2009 Community Events of Westport |
On June 10, 2009
the Westport Police obtained an arrest warrant for a female who had scammed
several businesses by pretending to be locked out of her home with no money
for gas.