Concerns about overly-aggressive solicitors continued this week, with a number of calls coming from all across town. You’ll find more detail below in the latest logs from the Southborough Police Department (via Facebook).
Friday, September 7, 2012
- 1:57 am – ARRESTED: A Shrewsbury man was arrested and charged with OUI Alcohol and Marked Lanes Violation.
- 6:35 am – Officers investigated a burglar alarm at a Sears Road residence.
- 9:16 am – Officers investigated a report of a suspicious male party in a vehicle on Granuaile Road. The individual checked out ok.
- 11:01 am – A Pine Hill Road resident reported an unregistered solicitor in the area. The solicitor was located and asked to leave the area.
- 1:36 pm – A Meadow Lane resident reported that their mailbox was vandalized or possibly hit by a vehicle. The responding officer advised that a report will be filed on the incident.
- 3:08 pm – Officers investigated a report of a suspicious van in the parking lot of St. Anne’s Church. The vehicle and the operator checked out ok.
- 4:40 pm – An Atwood Street resident reported an aggressive solicitor at their home. The solicitor was located and advised to stop their aggressive tactics.
- 4:56 pm – ARRESTED: A Marlboro Road resident was arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct, and was issued a citation for Erratic Operation of a Motor Vehicle after a motor vehicle crash on Marlboro Road.
- 7:50 pm – A Parmenter Road resident reported solicitors were still soliciting in the area (after dark). The responding officer reported that the solicitors had now left the area.
- 8:17 pm – A Southville Road resident reported that she was receiving harassing phone calls and text messages. A follow up investigation was conducted by the responding officer.
- 10:56 pm – Officers assisted a disabled motorist on White Bagley Road.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
- 3:33 am – Officers checked on a suspicious motor vehicle parked on Woodland Road by Turnpike Road. The vehicle checked out ok.
- 4:56 am – Officers checked on a suspicious motor vehicle parked in the lot of a Turnpike Road business. The vehicle and the operator checked out ok.
- 7:21 am – A motorist from Worcester, MA was issued a Criminal Application for Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Revoked Registration and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle.
- 9:25 am – Officers investigated a burglar alarm at a Parkerville Road residence.
- 3:14 pm – Officers investigated a burglar alarm at a Sadie Hutt Lane residence.
- 5:14 pm – A Deerfoot Road resident called to report aggressive solicitors in the area of Deerfoot Road. The solicitor was located and spoken to.
- 5:37 pm – Officers investigated a burglar alarm at a Ted Lane residence.
- 6:04 pm – A Wildwood Drive resident called to report having a problem with a solicitor at their residence. The responding officer spoke with the solicitor.
- 6:37 pm – A Bryden Road resident called to report a solicitor was asking to come inside and use her phone. The solicitor was located and advised by the responding officer.
- 7:33 pm – A Sears Road resident called to report solicitors in the area. The responding officer was unable to locate any solicitors upon arrival to the area.
- 7:43 pm – Officers responded to a burglar alarm at a Metacomet Lane residence.
- 8:15 pm – Officers responded to Woodland Road to investigate another complaint about aggressive solicitors. The solicitor had left the area prior to the officer’s arrival on scene.
- 10:04 pm – Officers investigated a two car, motor vehicle accident on Southville Road. No injuries were reported at the scene.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
- 12:24 am – Officers investigated a noise complaint at a Woodbury Road residence. The homeowner was advised to keep the noise down.
- 2:51 am – A Framingham motorist was issued a Criminal Application for Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Revoked Registration; Attaching Plates; and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle.
- 4:28 am – A resident of East Main Street called to report that they just heard their garage door open. Responding officers checked the area and advised that it could have been a power surge in the area. No findings of anything suspicious.
- 4:34 pm – Officers responded to Marlboro Road for a report of an erratic operator in the area. The responding officers were unable to locate the suspect vehicle.
- 4:46 pm – A Marlboro Road resident reported a possible phone scam. The responding officer will be conducting a follow-up on the incident.
- 5:13 pm – A medical was reported at a Parkerville Road residence.
- 6:26 pm – Officers assisted a disabled motorist on Main Street.
- 6:36 pm – Officers investigated a burglar alarm at a Carriage Hill Circle residence.
An incredible number of complaints about solicitors in a few short days. After a number of complaints, can’t the police do something beyond speaking with these people? I assume that some license or permit is required. Why not revoke it?
I told the stranger who knocked on my door to solicit for some charity program that I had never heard of that the town had experienced a series of house breaks and that the solicitor’s behavior could easily be seen as that of a criminal using a ruse to determine if anyone was home. Frankly, I’d love to see us withhold permits or licenses for such activity until the housebreaking criminals are caught or until the housebreaking activity has stopped for some period of time.
Is it true that if you have a no trespassing or a no soliciting or both signs they cannot come on your property. I will hit the local Lowes tonight if that is the case. We had one last week that was crazy and the SPD did not want to respond as they had already been there to see her. She wouldn’t go away and they wouldn’t come.
Resident,
Please contact the selectmen with details on this event so they can ensure you and the rest of us receive the appropriate police response.
I don’t know where these solicitors are coming from, but they seem to be much more aggressive this year. They don’t quite take no for an answer. We need a permanent ban on this type of business.
Maybe our Attorney General Martha Coakley could help us out.
Two more house break in’s reported in this morning’s newspaper!
Maybe it’s just me but I can’t think of an easier way to case a potential home break-in target than actually knocking on the door!
Haven’t been keeping count but I’m guessing that these latest two break-in’s bring the number into double digits.
What is being done???
I didn’t see a report of more break-ins. Do you have a link or more details?
I’ve had a “No Solicitors” on my step for years that I installed after I had a problem with one person and had to call the police. I’ve seen a lot of people approach the house and then turn around once they saw the sign.
susan, the two break ins are reported in todays metrowest daily news under court news they happened this past monday.
Thanks. Found the link: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/police_and_fire/x1526499880/Police-news-for-Wednesday-Sept-12-2012. I’ll do a post about it shortly.