Chester Police Log for Dec. 13, 2013 through Feb. 26, 2014

Editor’s Note: The Chester Telegraph Police Log is a sampling of incidents directly from Chester Police reports. We do not identify individual victims of crimes nor those who have been arrested.

Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, 1:11 p.m

A teenager called police to report that someone had hacked her Facebook account, changed its password and posted nude photos of herself as her profile picture and on her Facebook wall. The girl had learned of the situation from an out-of-state friend who texted her asking why she had posted such. The girl informed Green Mountain Union High School of the situation and attempted to access her FB page to remove the pictures but found that her password had been changed. The girl named someone who she thought might have hacked the account. GMUHS personnel also got involved in investigating the situation. In speaking with the suspect and her mother, police say that the girl admitted to hacking into the victim’s Facebook account, posted the nude photo and changed the password to prevent the victim from accessing it. The suspect was issued a citation for Juvenile Court to answer to a charge of access to computer for fraudulent purposes.

2:57 p.m.

A school bus driver reported that while she was driving the bus, a vehicle ran the  flashing lights while the bus was discharging a student at the crosswalk at the Chester Hardware at Main Street and Grafton Road. The bus driver said the vehicle driver made eye contact with her and waved.  A citation was issued for the vehicle driver for passing a school bus with red flashing lights.

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013, 1:50 p.m.

Staff at the Whiting Library reported that someone had opened a membership account in October 0f 2013 and checked out 15 DVDs that day, including The Bucket List, The Color Purple, City of Angels and Eat Pray Love, and has not returned them. Each item was valued at $10 to $30.

Friday, Jan. 3, 2014, 2:20 p.m.

Police responded to a report of a vehicle off  VT Route 10 in slippery conditions due to a snowstorm. The white Honda with Vermont plates was found off the road and the driver was still in the seat. She stated that she did not know what happened and just lost control of the vehicle. The car was leaking anti-freeze. Although police recommended that it be towed, someone arrived to help the woman drive the car away.

Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, 3:32 p.m.

Police were dispatched to the Jiffy Mart parking lot for the report of a fight. One Chester officer was speaking with a 31-year-old man who stated that he had been paying for a coffee when another man, 41, entered the store and began yelling and swearing at him. The 31-year-old said that the other man slapped him in the head and attempted to start a fight. This man also stated that the other man had left a message on his phone stating that “he’s gonna smash me and that I’m dead.”

Two store attendants who witnessed the incident concurred with the 31-year-old’s statements. The 41-year-old was located at his home. The man stated that the younger man had worked for him caring for his dogs but that he left employment due to the treatment of the dogs. The older man stated that he remained upset by that situation. But he said he did not hit the other man on the head. The older man was charged with simple assault.

4:09 p.m.

Police received a report of a suspicious person hanging around the back of a building on Elm Street with cans of beer, but heading toward Town Hall. Police did not find the subject and nothing around the building seemed out of place.

Thursday, Jan. 23, 2013,11:10 a.m.

A Chester resident called police to report that he had paid for three cord of wood that had never been delivered although the check had been cashed. Police contacted the company and the man stated that his truck had been broken down and he was getting it fixed. Police responded that the check had been cashed weeks ago, but the man said he always cashes checks to make sure they are good. Police advised the man that police were drawing up a a citation for him and would arrest him if he did not have the wood delivered by the weekend. On Sunday, the wood had not been delivered. Police left a message and told the man he would be arrested. On Monday, the man delivered two cord, but did not stack it, which had been part of the agreement. Again, police contacted the man about delivering the final cord and he stated that he had delivered all three and that someone must have stolen a cord. Police advised that they were not playing games, that they had measured the dropped wood and the man had until the next morning to complete the delivery. The man stated that he had delivered twice to the buyer because he has a big truck that can hold 1.5 cord. But police responded that they spoke to two firewood companies that said that even with 4-foot high sides, a 1-ton truck can just barely deliver one cord. Police offered to measure the man’s truck, and the man agreed. The next day, the final cord was delivered, but the man did not come to police to have his truck measured.

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014, 1:48 p.m.

The manager of the Sunoco on Route 103 South contacted the police ask them to look at surveillance video of someone stealing liquor. The manager said that they could also identify the person who had stolen the bottle of Captain Morgan rum valued at $9.99.  In the video, police see the woman walking up and down the aisle, looking back at the clerk, then grabbing a bottle. She turns and fidgets in her waist and pocket area, then steps back with empty hands, walks to the counter, talks to the clerk and leaves. The manager said complete inventories were conducted before and after the incident. The suspect was arrested for retail theft.

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014, 11:39 a.m.

A Chester resident called police to report that he had received a FedEx Priority package containing a check made out to him from a Canyon Building Designs of Tucson, AZ. The check was for $2,850. The man said he has never had contact with the company, that he contacted the company and discovered the check was a fraud. Police called the accounting department of the company, which confirmed that the account the check was drawn on had been closed and the check was counterfeit. The woman also states that the company has received calls from all over the United States about similar checks and that the company called the FBI to no avail.

3:21 p.m.

A two-car accident occurred on Route 103 in front of the new car wash. No one was injured. The driver of a Camry said that she was pulling out of the car wash to turn north and saw a truck southbound with its right-hand blinker on. The Camry driver said she pulled out but realized the truck driver was not turning and the bright sun reflecting off the turn signal might have made it look as though the blinker was on. She said she sped up but could not avoid the collision. The truck driver said he did not have his blinker on, did not slow down and stayed in the center of the lane. He added that the bright sun made it difficult to see the other vehicle as it pulled out in front of him. Both vehicles were totaled.

Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, 11:13 a.m.

Police were dispatched to the area around Mattson Road for a report of a three-wheeler racing up and down the road. The vehicle  and the driver were located and the man was told that he was breaking several laws. He was given a warning.

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, 8:10 a.m.

Police were called to the Sunoco on Route 103 South in Chester, where employees said a woman who had a Notice of Trespass sworn out against her by the Sunoco after a theft incident had been standing in the parking lot, then sitting in a car in the parking lot. The woman could not be located and may be a transient at this time.

Friday, Feb. 7, 2014, 10:35 p.m.

Police found a Ford pickup truck stuck in ditch in the 2000-area of Green Mountain Turnpike. Police attempted to find the owner, then had the truck towed.

Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, 11:02 a.m.

Police received a report of a vehicle being driven all over the road. The vehicle was found at the Country Girl Diner. The driver said he was tired and his son was going to take over driving.

3:35 p.m.

Police responded to a two-car collision at VT Route 11 west and VT Route 103 south in Chester during heavy traffic but dry, non-slippery road conditions.

A driver from Massachusetts said he was in his silver Saab, stopped at the stop sign and exiting Route 11 and struck a vehicle that was heading north on Route 103, spinning it around. Both vehicles were totaled and the Saab driver was cited for failure to yield.

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, 7:47 a.m.

Police received a report of a vehicle being recklessly driven in the parking lot of the Chester-Andover Elementary School. Upon arrival, police met with the custodian who said he was standing in front and watch a person driving a Volkswagen pull into the lot, drop off two kids and spin his tires while leaving. The custodian said the action was excessive, leaving more than 20 feet of tire marks. The custodian had taken a picture with his iPad. Police observed the marks left. Police made contact with the driver, who said that his clutch is bad and hard to operate and the marks were not his. Police advised that this was no slip and that the incident was witnessed. He was issued one ticket. Later, police received a call from the custodian who said the incident was caught on video and was worse than he thought, since the driver’s sister was still getting out of the backseat and had not cleared the car yet when he took off.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, 8:57 a.m.

Town Highway crews requested that police speak with a resident of the Dodge Road area about blowing snow into the road. Police attempted two contacts to no avail.

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, 12:12 p.m.

A caretaker for a resident of Route 103 north reported to police that they had received a call from “Publishers Clearing House” claiming that the resident was a winner of a large sum of money. The caller gave a name and telephone number and advised the resident to go to Walgreens and purchase money “transactions,” then call him when this was complete. The caller also said that the winnings were on their way and would arrive in a couple of days, via UPS, and that the driver would exchange the winnings for the money “transactions.”  The caretaker assumed it was a scam  and decided to call police. An Internet search of the number turned up information that it is a scam. Police told the caretaker that if the caller calls again, just tell the caller that the police have already been informed.