Public Safety Report: Phone scammer pretended to be with Middlesex Sheriff’s Department

A person nearly fell victim to a phone scam on Sept. 5, in which the caller posed as a member of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Department.

According to a police spokesperson, the caller told the reporting party that she had warrants out for her arrest and demanded that she send money via the Venmo app to avoid being arrested.

The woman attempted to send $8,000 to a Venmo account under the instruction of the caller, but Venmo flagged the transaction as possible fraudulent activity and prevented it from going through. She then reported the incident to the Waltham Police.

Additional public safety actions

A summary of public safety activity from Sept. 4 to Sept. 10 is as follows:

On Sept. 4 at 11:55 a.m., police responded to a report of property vandalism on Trapelo Road. The reporting party stated that a man traveling behind him got out of his car while both were stopped at a red light and struck the driver’s side window of the reporting party’s car with his hand, causing it to crack. The reporting party stated that the man had been driving behind him erratically up until this point. The reporting party provided police with the driver’s license plate number and identified him based on his license photo. Officers served him a court summons for malicious destruction of a motor vehicle.

At 2:54 p.m. police responded to a report of a larceny near a Newton Street business. A landscaper told police that a friend informed him that someone had stolen two chainsaws from his trailer. The landscaper also had a leaf blower and weed whacker stolen in prior months. Officers located camera footage in the area showing a man leaving the trailer with the chainsaws. The landscaper identified the man as a former employee who had worked with him for a week. The man was sent a court summons for larceny under $1,200 and felony breaking and entering. The charges are only connected to the most recent larceny, as a police spokesperson said that there is not enough evidence to connect them to the other incidents.

Khansee Chalernsouk, 32, of 15 Mount Vernon Ave., was arrested for carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license, defacing a firearm’s serial number, destruction of property under $1,200 and possession of a Class B drug. The Waltham District Court amended these charges at his arraignment on Sept. 8 to omit the defacing a firearm charge and add a charge for receiving an untraceable firearm. Chalernsouk pleaded not guilty to the charges. Additional information on the incident can be found in this week’s Court Report.

On Sept. 5 at 10:10 a.m., officers attempted to assist the Framingham Police Department with locating a missing child. The Framingham Police believed the child might be located at the administration building at the abandoned Metropolitan State Hospital at 475 Trapelo Road. Officers were unable to locate the missing child.

At 2:34 p.m., officers responded to a report of an identity theft at a River Street residence. The reporting party learned that accounts with a cell phone company and gas company had been opened up under his name after checking his credit report. The fraudulent accounts left him with bills totaling $1,880. He filed a report with the police.

On Sept. 6 at 8:34 a.m., police responded to a report of a larceny at a Stearns Hill Road residence. The reporting party found that his Blackstone grill, which had been placed in front of his house, was missing after he returned home. The grill’s estimated value was $330. The incident is under investigation.

Wilton Medina-Limus, 28, of 37 Vernon St., Waltham, was arrested at 5:11 p.m. for possession of a Class B drug and concealing a license plate.

On Sept. 7 at 12:15 p.m., police responded to a report of a protest at VFW Post 10334 at 623 Trapelo Road. An event organizer at one of the post’s rented halls requested a police response after eight protesters had shown up to the event. When officers arrived, the event organizer had already left the scene, and only two protesters remained; no one was charged.

William MacMillan, 55, homeless, of Waltham, was arrested at 3:56 p.m for extortion by threat of injury, stalking and a bomb threat charge. He was also taken in on active arrest warrants for violating an abuse prevention order, intimate partner assault and battery on a household or family member, and assault and battery of someone who is over 60 years old or disabled. He was arraigned on the arrest charges on Sept. 8.

At 8:29 p.m. the Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire near a Winter Street residence.

On Sept. 8 at 11:54 a.m., police responded to a report of a larceny at an Adams Street residence. The reporting party’s package containing a Nintendo Switch 2, worth $531, went missing after it was delivered in front of the residence.

On Sept. 9 at 1:35 p.m., Tyler McDonald, 32, of 65 Lake St., was arrested for electronic enticement of a child for sex trafficking and trafficking of a person for sexual servitude. He pleaded not guilty to these charges at his arraignment on Sept. 9.

At 8:32 p.m., the Fire Department responded to a fire outside of a Bigelow Road residence.

On Sept. 10 at 3:29 a.m., police responded to a report of an assault and battery at the RiverWalk along the Charles River Greenway. The reporting party stated that two men were engaged in a physical fight. Officers advised the involved parties that they could seek charges through the Waltham District Court.

At 1:48 p.m. an employee of Enterprise Rent-A-Car at 12 Maple St. reported that a customer failed to return a rented Nissan Niro on May 8. The company made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the renter. The company is seeking a criminal complaint against the renter for larceny of leased or rented property.

At 4:12 p.m. police responded to a report of a larceny at the Waltham Public Library at 735 Main St. A GoPro scooter, worth around $200, was stolen from the bike racks in the parking lot. The incident is under investigation.