Published in the July 31, 2015 edition

MELROSE — A 68-year-old Boston man will be summonsed to court for purchasing a $1,750 money gram with counterfeit $100 bills at the downtown CVS on Monday, July 20.

According to police, they were told the suspect bought the money gram and had it sent to someone in Nigeria. On Tuesday, July 21, sometime before 12:18 p.m., the CVS was notified by TD Bank personnel that the money used to pay for the money order was bogus.

Using store surveillance footage, the suspect was identified and will be charged with gross fraud and uttering conterfeit notes.

The Weekly News does not publish the names of people police say they plan to summons to court.

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Police are investigating a couple of incidents involving suspicious activity at the YMCA.

On Thursday, July 23, around 5 p.m., police were contacted by YMCA personnel about a man found in the women’s locker room two days before. He reportedly is seen on video outside the locker room area around 6:20 p.m. July 21 eating from a large bag of popcorn. Around 6:30, the man gets up on a bench and turns the security camera away from the locker rooms. Around 7 p.m., a woman reported the man inside the women’s locker room, taking on his phone. When the woman questioned him, he said he was working in some capacity for the YMCA.

The YMCA official who contacted police said she did not know the man.

Police continue their investigation.

On Friday, July 24, at 3:11 p.m. someone told police that a white man was outside in the rear YMCA parking lot photographing a Y event. The man was described as white in his 60’s, standing five foot nine and sporting a goatee. He was said to be using a camera with a telephoto lens on it.

Police continue to investigate this incident as well.

 

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Following is a sample of other calls handled by police during the week of July 20-26.

MONDAY, JULY 20

• Police went to a North Avenue home at 11:37 a.m. to help the Animal Control officer free a rabbit stuck in a household sink.

• An officer went to the Lloyd Memorial Pool on Tremont Street around 4:45 p.m. after Health Department personnel asked that an ice cream vendor parked in the area be moved along. He was.

• Police checked on an alarm sounding in the vault of the Sovereign Bank in the 400 block of Main Street just before 7 p.m. They reported everything seemed secure.

• Just before 9 p.m. a woman living in the 100 block of Main Street told police a man was flashing lights into her window. An officer determined the report unfounded.

TUESDAY, JULY 21

• An emergency room nurse reported at 1:36 a.m. that her car was struck by another while parked on Rowe Street. The driver allegedly left the area.

• A Nason Drive resident said his wallet had been stolen sometime before 9:09 a.m. He soon called police to report his wallet had been found and had not been stolen.

• Police went to the Sovereign Bank in the 400 block of Main Street around 1:15 p.m. after being told the bank hold up alarm was sounding. Police soon learned it was set off by alarm company employees working on the alarm.

• A bicycle was reported stolen from a Melrose Street home sometime before 1:42 p.m.

• A past hit and run was reported in the Shaw’s parking lot on Essex Street at 1:46 p.m.

• Someone told police youths were smoking on the grounds of the Roosevelt School around 1 p.m. Police said they found no suspicious activity when they responded.

• Police received a 911 call around 4:35 p.m. from a woman at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School reporting she locked herself out of her running and occupied vehicle. Emergency personnel were able to get the car open for her.

• A loud explosion on Orchard Lane was reported around 6:35 p.m. Police said National Grid was on the scene.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22

• Police and firefighters searched the area near the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital after being told around 10:20 a.m. that someone was down inside the parking garage. Police said search crews couldn’t find anyone needing medical assistance.

• A Frances Street resident reported a case of possible forgery around 11:45 a.m.

• A road rage incident was reported in front of fire headquarters on Main Street just after noon. Police spoke with those involved and resolved the matter.

• Gas cans reportedly fell off a truck at the corner of Main Street and the Lynn Fells Parkway around 1 p.m.

• MBTA railroad crossing gates were stuck down on Wyoming Hill (West Wyoming Avenue and Berwick Street) around 6:20 p.m. The MBTA Police was notified.

• Youths were reported running around the Cass and East Foster streets neighborhood at 9:44 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 23

• A loud house party was reported on Edgemere Street just after midnight.

• The arm of an MBTA crossing gate was reported broken off near Garniss Market on West Emerson Street just before 8 a.m.

• Someone fell and needed medical assistance near the East Boston Savings Bank in the 100 block of Main Street around 9:30 a.m.

• A Meridian Street resident reported being the victim of identity theft around 4:15 p.m.

• Part of a sidewalk on Youle Street was beginning to lift up, possibly from the heat. A resident in the area who called police around 5:15 p.m. was told to notify the DPW in the morning.

• A wallet was found on Upham Street and turned into police around 7:25 p.m. Officers left a message on the owner’s telephone answering machine.

• A large group of people allegedly was making a lot of noise on Forest Street just before 11 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 24

• Police were told just before 5 a.m. that a man was passed out in one of the entrances to the Cochrane House on Grove Street. Police went there and were told by the man that he was locked out of his house and didn’t know where to sleep. Police moved the man along.

• Money was reported stolen from a resident of the Elmhurst Nursing home sometime before 2:52 p.m.

• A carload of youths who were reportedly smashing items near a wooded area at the intersection of Beeche Avenue and Oak Street around 8:35 p.m. could not be located.

SATURDAY, JULY 25

• A man allegedly passed out at the wheel of a motor vehicle at the Melrose Shell station around 12:45 a.m. woke up and was moved on his way by police.

• A raccoon was trapped in a barrel on Morgan Street around 11:40 a.m. The animal was released and ran off.

• The MBTA reported a beagle walking on train tracks near the intersection of West Emerson and Tremont streets around 3:10 p.m.

• A pocketbook was reported stolen from the playground on Greenleaf Place at 3:12 p.m. Police said it was later found and returned.

SUNDAY, JULY 26

• Youths had reportedly spray painted the stairs at a restaurant on Grove Street sometime before 12:30 p.m.

• An Easter Foster Street resident said someone broke into his car before 12:32 p.m., but nothing was taken and there was no damage.

• At 1:56 p.m., police received a call regarding a block party on Albion Street.

• A white man was reportedly walking through backyards on Black Rock Road around 8 p.m. Police sent the man on his way.