The beginning of the New Year prompts reflection on the events of 2018. The Item’s police log serves as a record of some of those events.
Here are some of our favorites entries from the past year.
To the police, thank you for all that you do.
Marblehead, Jan. 25
A report of a motor vehicle attempting to run down a mailman on Front Street at 4:07 p.m. on Thursday. The mailman reported confronting a woman who was putting things in mailboxes. Afterwards the woman allegedly got inside a vehicle and attempted to run him down.
Saugus, Jan. 28
A report of a suspicious person at 3:13 p.m. Sunday at Kohls at 333 Broadway. Loss Prevention reported a man was sitting in the parking lot in front of a red Honda lighting money on fire.
Saugus, Jan. 28
A report of suspicious activity at 10:22 p.m. Sunday at 3 Bacon Drive. A caller reported that he thought people that had harassed him two years ago by constantly beeping their car horns at him have started doing it again.
Marblehead, Feb. 2
A report of a stolen screwdriver at 6 p.m. Friday on Franklin Street. An officer reported calming the woman down.
Saugus, Feb. 5
A McDonald’s restaurant employee reported three male youths smoked pot inside the building, then stole a display case of cookies at the 127 Broadway restaurant at 9:50 p.m. Monday. The youths reportedly left in a gray vehicle. A patron entering McDonald’s was also reportedly hit with the door as they were exiting the establishment, but refused medical treatment.
Marblehead, Feb. 18
A caller reported hearing three gunshots and a voice saying “Oh yeah,” shortly after, police confirmed the shots were from a potato gun on Harbor View Lane at 1:38 p.m. on Sunday.
Marblehead, March 11
A report of a loud group of people being mischievous at Buchanan and Eisenhower roads at 10:24 p.m. Sunday Police report a child’s birthday party. The party was moved inside.
Peabody, March 20
A caller reported a man making a disturbance at Bill & Bob’s Roast Beef on Central Street at 9:29 p.m. Tuesday. According to police, the man was upset that he received a cold egg roll on St. Patrick’s Day.
Marblehead, March 28
A report of a disturbance at Humphrey Street and Pilgrim Road at 2:31 p.m. Wednesday. Caller reported that two contractors were yelling and throwing tools at each other. Officers spoke to both parties who denied any issues.
Saugus, April 1
A caller reported a motor vehicle described as a white SUV or van that keeps driving by while throwing hard boiled eggs that hit her children at 7:09 p.m. Sunday.
Marblehead, April 2
A report of a man appearing to be looking into a window at Pleasant and Devereux streets at 3:18 p.m. Monday. Upon further inspection, the caller reported the man was urinating in the bushes.
Marblehead, May 15
On Tuesday at 8:22 p.m., caller reported a white man was hitting golf balls into the water from the beach. He is wearing a white tank top and boxers and has been drinking at the beach. Officer spoke to the suspect who said he is in for the night and is temporarily living on Fort Sewall Lane.
Marblehead, June 4
A caller reported a woman approached him and called him entitled because he drove a BMW on Atlantic Avenue at 8:23 p.m. Monday.
Marblehead, June 9
A report of loud construction at 6:46 a.m. Saturday on Doane Street. A caller reported her neighbor has started loud construction. Another caller reported “this guy from Manchester comes here and fires up his equipment every Sunday and every morning he can.” The caller didn’t want to speak directly with the man because he felt “it would escalate things.”
Marblehead, June 9
A report of a speeding green Subaru at 8:14 a.m. Saturday at Village Street and Willow Road. A caller reported he was walking with his daughter and dog when a green Subaru sped by — they had to pull the dog to keep it from being run over. The caller said he asked the driver nicely to slow down only to have the driver give a reaction like “FU, call whoever you want. I know people.”
Saugus, June 9
A report of a suspicious white man wearing no shirt walking around the area of Central Place an Mountain Avenue throwing punches in the air at 9:11 a.m. Saturday. The caller reports the man punched their neighbor’s punching bag while walking past their home.
Marblehead, June 22
A resident reported that she found out her husband is growing marijuana at 9:54 a.m. Friday.
Marblehead, July 11
A caller reported she was sitting on her deck working on her laptop when her husband started spraying her with a garden hose on Susan Road at 3:01 p.m. on Wednesday.
Peabody, July 15
A report of suspicious activity at 7:07 p.m. Sunday on Russell Street Bike Path. A person dressed in a clown suit was reportedly scaring people. Police later found a juvenile dressed in a clown suit. An officer spoke with the mother, who reported the juvenile would be inside for the night.
Marblehead, July 16
A caller reported kids blaring rock and roll music at “very high decibels where neighbors cannot even think” on Green Street at 4:02 p.m. on Monday. Responding officers advised the kids and their parents of the noise complaint and they stopped playing.
Marblehead, July 16
A caller reported she came home from work and believed someone had been in the house given things were smashed up on Stone Terrace. The caller was unable to tell if anything was missing at the time of the call. After responding officers arrived, they located a crow that had gotten into the house and they called in to have the animal removed at 11:38 p.m. on Monday.
Marblehead, July 21
A report of suspicious activity at 1:27 a.m. Saturday at Stonybrook and Blueberry roads. A caller reported a man standing in the middle of the street, who later ran behind a tree and then behind a bush in someone’s yard. The caller felt someone should check on the man.
Marblehead, July 25
A caller reported having ongoing issues with his neighbor and he witnessed that neighbor (on camera) “pouring fish guts” on the vehicle owned by his mother at 8:40 p.m. on Wednesday.
Marblehead, July 31
A caller reported a man with a long beard and long hair began taking photos of him while he was reading a newspaper and eating a muffin at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Marblehead, July 31
A report of a couple getting too intimate on Village Street at 11:35 a.m. Tuesday.
Nahant, July 31
A Spouting Horn Road resident reported two males he doesn’t know are in his pool at 7:32 p.m. Tuesday.
Marblehead, Aug. 12
A caller reported thinking that someone was creeping around her house on Darling Street at 10:59 p.m. on Sunday. The caller didn’t see or hear anything but she had “senses” that led her to believe it. Responding officers found no one at the scene.
Marblehead, Aug. 15
A caller reported she got into a road rage incident with a man who yelled obscenities at her at 9:05 p.m. Wednesday on Farrell Court. She said he proceeded to block her in and yelled at her “you can (expletive) stay here for a few hours now.” She said this all occurred because she accidentally parked in his spot.
Marblehead, Aug. 23
A caller reported a car came into the Villa Plaza near Pleasant Street and hit his vehicle, then left the scene at 5:23 a.m. on Thursday. The caller was able to give a partial license plate number to officers. Shortly after the call, a person walked into the station and said he pulled into the Villa Plaza lot. Officers asked if he hit something, and the walk-in replied, “Allegedly.”
Marblehead, Aug. 23
A caller reported a nude photo shoot going on at Ocean Avenue and Harbor Avenue at 6:16 p.m. on Thursday. The caller stated they thought this was wrong given young kids are present in the area. Responding officers found the parties, but they were fully clothed and the officers advised them to remain so.
Marblehead, Aug. 25
A report of women collecting mushrooms at Humphrey Street at 9:57 a.m. Saturday. Caller reported two women parked at the post office foraging for mushrooms and was concerned that a science teacher might be expecting them there when school starts.
Marblehead, Aug. 30
A caller reported being upset about traffic in the area of the high school, near Humphrey Street at 7:51 a.m. on Thursday. The caller said she used to live in a big city and is certain there is a traffic solution.
Marblehead, Aug. 30
A report of a caller at 8:35 p.m. on Thursday trying to inquire whether or not the dispatcher had seen the whales offshore. He told a story about seeing an episode of “Star Trek” with whales in it and said the message from that episode is that “we should not go into outer space.” The caller then wished the dispatcher a “good God night” and ended the call.
Marblehead Aug. 31
A woman walked in to the police station at 10:58 a.m. Friday to speak with a detective about a case where her neighbor topped one of her trees to give himself a water view. She related that a tree in front of her house is dead and though she has no proof, she suspects her neighbor poisoned the tree. She said her neighbor has cut a huge gap in his hedges so that he can see her house. She also reported her son was packing up his car on the 4th of July and came outside to find the stroller he left by his car covered in dog feces.
Marblehead, Sept. 8
A report of a disturbance at 6:37 p.m. Saturday on Darling Street. A caller reported the people upstairs have a baby that is constantly crying and wanted to know what could be done. Police told her that babies make noise, scream and cry and there is nothing they can do about it. The caller reported she has done her share of babysitting and never heard kids cry like that so something must be wrong.
Saugus, Sept. 8
A Susan Drive resident reported a suspicious vehicle parked in front of her home “for some time” at 10:57 a.m. Saturday. She further reported the operator, a black male wearing a dress shirt, has been rifling through various car seats and other items in the back of the vehicle for “some time.” The caller claimed the operator stripped down naked and appeared to be washing himself in the street. Police report the vehicle left prior to their arrival.
Marblehead, Sept. 22
A caller reported at 10:52 a.m. Saturday on Chestnut Street that he saw a neighbor with garden shears and felt he was going to cut the tomato plant that hangs onto his property. Police reported the tomato plant seems to be the cause of many of the issues and that the caller could just solve the problem by moving the plant as it’s in a pot and not planted in the ground.
Marblehead, Sept. 25
A caller reported at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday that a mannequin was stolen overnight on Washington Street. They called back at 3:59 p.m. on Tuesday and stated an unknown person walked in and “returned just the clothes.”
Nahant, Oct. 3
A report of a man digging aggressively after using a metal detector at the Pleasant Street playground at 6:12 p.m. Wednesday. Police report the man was going to wrap up the digging for the evening.
Marblehead, Oct. 5
A caller reported he was bringing in his groceries and a neighbor was backing out of the driveway and gave him the finger at 1:20 p.m. Friday on Chestnut Street. The man told police he knows there’s nothing illegal about this, but that it was the second time his neighbor has given him the finger. The man was advised by police that the incident would be documented.
Peabody, Oct. 6
A report of suspicious activity at 6:16 p.m. Saturday at Peabody Municipal Light Plant at 201 Warren St. A PMLP employee reported a red “Patriot Tree” truck drove up, circled the building, parked down the hill and the driver got out, urinated and then left the scene. The caller reported all of the activity was caught on camera. An officer planned to follow up with the company of the truck.
Marblehead, Oct. 18
A walk-in from the DPW reported he found an adult tricycle in the area of the Lead Mills on Lafayette Street at 12:42 p.m. on Thursday. He stated if no one comes to claim it, he would like to take it.
Marblehead, Oct. 24
A caller reported at 10:57 p.m. on Wednesday that a woman parked in front of his house, got out, and proceeded to go to his neighbor’s car and pour “women’s panties, panty hose, and sex toys all over the vehicle.” He stated he asked the woman if everything was OK and she responded “No, no one cheats on me.” Responding officers spoke with the owner of the vehicle and found no damage.
Marblehead, Nov. 15
A caller reported her and her husband were out walking at Franklin Street at 1:54 p.m. on Thursday and saw a woman sleeping in her car. She stated they were concerned that it was too cold for that and they could not tell if the car was running. Responding officers spoke to the woman who stated she was hunched over writing a check in the car and she was pleased to know someone called with concern for her.
Marblehead, Nov. 15
A caller reported at 5:22 p.m. on Thursday that a very small person broke into her house on Franklin Street two days ago and stole a pumpkin. She stated she can’t remember her name but knows that the “suspect lives in Salem” and she has previously made a complaint against her for other things.
Peabody, Nov. 25
A caller reported three youngsters were lying on Lowell Street on Sunday at 10:44 p.m. and playing chicken. An officer spoke with the parties who said they were waiting outside for a pizza delivery which has arrived and they were going inside.
Saugus, Dec. 8
A report of suspicious activity at 11:21 p.m. Saturday at Square One Mall at 1201 Broadway. A caller reported a woman he didn’t know jumped into his car and refused to get out. Police reported the women thought she knew the caller and it was a case of mistaken identity.