Heads will roll
On March 9, at around 12:25 a.m., police responded to 770 Boylston St. on a call for a reported threat.
On arrival, the officer spoke to the victim said less an hour earlier, he received a message via the What’s Up app from an known number, and the caller threatened to “put a gun to [the victim’s] head” if the victim didn’t text back.
After the victim blocked the caller’s number, he received a message from another number with pictures of decapitated heads and bodies, as well as a text message in Spanish threatening to kill the girls in the victim’s family.
Police advised the victim to notify his family members living in Spain of the incident, and to not send any money to the caller because this is likely a scam.
Made in the shade
On Monday, March 9, at approximately 3:57 p.m., officers responded to a call for a larceny in progress at the Sunglass Hut at 86 Newbury St.
Upon arrival, police spoke to the store manager, who said five suspects entered the store and attempted to steal multiple pairs of sunglasses.
One male suspect left the store with a pair of sunglasses valued at $400 as a female suspect attempted to conceal another pair of sunglasses in her sweatshirt. When employees confronted the female suspect, she handed the sunglasses over to them before exiting the store.
The other three suspects, who were all holding sunglasses, then attempted to distract employees in order to get away, but they all left the store empty-handed once an employee called the police.
The suspects were seen headed towards the Boston Common, but a search of the area for them was to no avail.
Hazards of smoking
On Friday, March 13, police responded to a radio call for a female suspect with a knife at the 7-Eleven at 717 Boylston St.
On arrival, officers located the suspect at 699 Boylston St. and attempted to take her into custody. The suspect was eventually placed in handcuffs, and a search of her person didn’t turn up a knife, but instead she was found in possession of six packages of Newport cigarettes. Additional officers responded to the scene because of the suspect’s combative nature, and police were able to transport her to police headquarters for booking.
Police also responded to the 7-Eleven and interviewed three victims, who said the suspect, who had caused previous problems at the store and was consequently barred from the premises by management, followed two friends inside. While her friends purchased some goods, the suspect began arguing with employees, and when her friends tried to convince the suspect to exit the store, she grew increasingly more belligerent, throwing items around the store and knocking over a sales display.
The manager then came out of his office and attempted to calm the suspect down, at which time the suspect brandished a container of pepper spray and sprayed it in his face.
The suspect then went behind the counter, and when employees tried to stop her, she pulled a knife and waved it at them before stealing several packages of cigarettes and fleeing the store.
While the police couldn’t find a knife on the suspect’s person, they did locate a container of pepper spray on her, which they seized as evidence.
Officers also confiscated the stolen cigarettes from her, which they subsequently returned to the store.
Meanwhile, EMTs responded to the store and treated the manager on the scene, but declined transportation to the hospital for further evaluation.