Amherst crime log: Feb. 22-24
By Mitchell Scuzzarella
Shaina Mishkin / Collegian
Though Detective David Foster of the Amherst Police Department described the past weekend as "relatively uneventful," there were several crimes recorded, including multiple breaking and entering reports.
Beginning early Friday morning at approximately 10:45 a.m., a Main Street apartment reported a possible breaking and entering. According to police, the door to the apartment was forced open and a golf club valued at a reported $200 was removed from the premises.
Friday evening brought the first arrest of the weekend when a 20-year-old man was arrested after reportedly attempting to flag down individuals for a ride. Police detained Matthew J. Boynton of Waltham and arrested him on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after he reportedly stumbled in the roadway. According to police, Boynton repeatedly hit his head against the divider cage in the police vehicle during transport in protest of his arrest.
Only a few hours later, at 12:40 a.m. on Saturday, a noise complaint at 298 Belchertown Road led to police being forced to disperse a gathering of upwards to 300 individuals on the premises. According to police, the uncooperative crowd had gathered to witness a live band and took over 20 minutes to clear from the area. Four residents of the address received summonses for violating the town's nuisance house after being uncooperative with officers.
Saturday afternoon followed with another arrest after police responded to calls of an individual attempting to force her way into a Presidential Apartment building. Twenty-two-year-old Amherst resident Rebecca Tobey was reportedly witnessed yelling and attempting to enter the building after an incident involving others within the apartment. After pulling away from police, the responding officers were forced to take Tobey to the ground, where she was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Later that same evening, Amherst police arrested 54-year-old Amherst resident Max Lesselbaum on a charge of violating the town's open container bylaw. According to police, this was Lesselbaum's second time on the same date with an open container. Early Sunday morning, another case of breaking and entering was reported to police at the Iota Gamma Upsilon sorority house. According to the report, two males were seen leaving the premises via a fire escape. Multiple items were reported as stolen, and police are currently investigating the situation.
The last reported arrest of the weekend took place Sunday evening, when police responded to a motor vehicle crash at 71 Mill Lane. After confiscating the contents of the car involved in the incident, 19-year-old driver Za Qu of Hadley was arrested on charges of operating under the influence. According to the police report, drugs and alcohol were discovered in the vehicle.
Mitchell Scuzzarella can be reached at [email protected]
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