A young hawk is rescued from netting
Every day, police officers respond to reports of all sorts of events and nonevents, most of which never make the news. Here is a sampling of lesserknown — but no less noteworthy — incidents from police log books (a.k.a. blotters) in our communities.
HAWK RESCUE
On the night of July 24, a juvenile red-tailed hawk had to be rescued after he became tangled up in some netting in Andover. The young bird was freed and taken in by Cape Ann Wildlife, a sanctuary in Essex. The bird was going to get a checkup and Xrays to make sure it was healthy enough to return to the wild. “Once he’s been cleared he will be released where he was found,” Andover Animal Control wrote on Facebook. “A reminder, if you have sports nets in your back yard, properly store them when they’re not in use and use scare tape for nets that can’t be taken down. You could save a life!”
STUCK IN THE DOOR
On the morning of July 14, police received a 911 call to help a person whose arm was stuck in a door at a home on Old Billerica Road in Bedford. Police and firefighters responded and reported that the person’s arm was out before they arrived and, thankfully, there was no need for an ambulance ride to the hospital.
ODD FIND AT LOCAL YARD SALE
On July 14, police received a report of some ammunition that was “found at a yard sale” at a home on School Avenue in Bedford. According to the log entry, an officer was dispatched to the scene and examined said ammunition, which turned out to be “spent casings.” The casings were disposed of.
NOT SO FUNNY JOKE
At 1:27 a.m. June 17, Wilmington police heard from the receptionist at a nursing home at 750 Woburn St. reporting that there was a man out front “banging on the doors saying his truck was stolen.” The man said his pickup truck was stolen from the parking lot about an hour or two before. (It was a uniquelooking ride, too: in the log entry the truck was described as having a blue passenger door and hood, while the rest of the vehicle was maroon in color). Much to the man’s relief, police located the vehicle not far away, on the corner of Woburn Street and Brentwood Avenue. The man told police he was “in the neighborhood with friends” and “believes someone took his spare keys and moved the vehicle playing games with him.” He was sent on his way.
A PLEASANT SURPRISE
At 7:13 a.m. July 18, Bridgewater police received a 911 call from a man at the Kingswood Park Village apartment complex reporting that the engine of his vehicle already was running when he went out to it and he believed it had been hotwired. Police later reported that it was all a misunderstanding, as the caller was not aware his vehicle had a remote start.
WATCH OUT FOR LOW-FLYING DRONES
At 1:04 p.m. June 30, Medfield police received a call from a citizen who saw two people “flying drones at eye level” on the grounds of Medfield State Hospital, and were “concerned they may hit someone.” Police responded and at first reported that the drone pilots were “GOA,” or “gone on arrival,” but then eventually located them and spoke to them about the proper way to fly drones.
NOT-SO-MYSTERIOUS ODOR
At 8:55 a.m. June 2, Medway police received a call from someone reporting a “burnt toast smell” in the basement at 155 Village St., the address of Medway Town Hall. The police and fire departments responded, checked the building, and determined that the issue was just like it smelled like. The log entry stated, “building checked, problem found to be burnt toast.” Police cleared the scene by 9:23 a.m.