Police Log: Toilet Explodes, Motorist Drives into Building

Following are excerpts from the log. Note that this is a sampling of activity in the log, not a complete account. We report all arrests included in the daily police log.

April 14

• At 12:14 p.m. police responded to a call of motor vehicle breaking and entering at Burlington High School. Caller reported that while she was on the school's track somebody smashed her front passenger windown and stole her pocket book from her parked vehicle.
• At 1:28 p.m. a manager of , 1 Arboretum Way, came to the station to report an employee had found an old hand gun buried in the dirt. After inspecting the item police determined it was an old starter gun and it was logged into property.
• At 2:58 p.m. police arrested Joanna Miele, 47, of 40 Goodhue, Apt. 4, Dracut on a charge of shoplifting over $100 worth of merchandise by concealment.
• At 3:51 p.m. police received a call from a resident who reported his daughter had just gotten into a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Cambridge Street and Wayside Road and that the other vehicle took off.
• At 5:55 p.m. police responded to a caller at the new condominiums at 10 Skilton Lane who said youths were throwing rocks at the new mailboxes. Police spoke with the witness and examined the mailboxes, which showed no sign of damage. Youth reportedly left before police arrived.
• At 8:40 p.m. a male party called police to report that while he was attempting to repossess a motor vehicle a female jumped into it and attempted to drive away. Police advised the man not to block the female from leaving. The situation was settled when the woman explained she was with family and would be stranded if the vehicle was towed and the man agreed to follow her home and repossess the vehicle there.

April 15

• At 1:39 a.m. a Washington Avenue resident reported to police that 6 youths were talking loudly and hanging from the bushes outside her house. Police checked area but the youths were gone on arrival.
• At 8:36 a.m. police responded to a call of a gas leak at 1 Third Avenue. Both the Fire Department and National Grid responded and the utility company capped off the break.
• At 11:28 a.m. police responded to a "change back scam" at , 69 Middlesex Turnpike. Loss prevention reported a while male in his late 30s used the scam to get $50 more than he was owed from a young employee. 
• At 12:48 p.m. police responded to a hit and run accident at Best Buy, 84 Middlesex Turnpike. Caller reported his vehicle was hit by another while parked in the lot and when asked to exchange information the driver fled.
• At 2:24 p.m. police responded to a call of suspicious persons/activity on Macon Road. Caller stated possible drug use by four youths. Upon arrival police found four youths tossing a football in the front yard of a neighboring residence. Police spoke with neighbors who reported signs of drug activity, including the youths spent five to 10 minutes in a car and there was a smell of marijuana from the residence.
• At 4:45 p.m. police arrested John Boyer Ford, 58, of 18 Moore St., Wilmington on charges of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol (second offense), leaving the scene of property damage and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Ford was arrested following a motor vehicle accident on Wilmington Road which he allegedly fled.
• At 5:38 p.m. a Cambridge St., resident reported her toilet exploded and flung raw sewage all of her bathroom. Police contacted the stand-by sewer line for the resident.
• At 6:52 p.m. police responded to a youth complaint at Simonds Park, 16 Bedford St. Reporting party stated youths were attempting to build a fire at the park. The Fire Department put out a small fire on a paved area of the park. Police questioned youths in the area and all denied involvement or witnessing anything.
• At 8:36 p.m. police responded to a youth complaint on Lee Avenue. Caller reported that youths were in the woods near the corner of Lee Avenue and Erin Lane. Police found evidence of a recent fire and recovered an abandoned Bauer hockey bag filled with firewood.
• At 9:19 p.m. police arrested Edward Jude McVey, 36, homeless, on charges of shoplifting $100 worth of merchandise by concealment. McVey was arrested after in the reported they had a male in custody for shoplifting.

April 16

• At 7:43 a.m. police responded to a call of malicious damage/vandalism at Simonds Park, 16 Bedford St. Caller reported youths damaged and vandalized the batting cages with pipes and damaged other National Grid equipment. Police checked and report states two support pipes appeared to have fallen or been damaged in the batting cages but unable to determine if it was vandalism.
• At 9:54 a.m. police responded to a call of a crash without injuries at , 120 Cambridge St. Apparently a young female driver accidentally stepped on gas while parking her vehicle and struck the front of the building, causing damage to both her vehicle and the salon. No injures resulted from the accident. Operator given a verbal warning.
• At 12:42 p.m. a woman came to the station to report that her vehicle was struck while parked in the lot. There was damage on the driver's side door (front and rear). Nobody left any contact information and there were no known witnesses.
• At 3:16 p.m. police responded to a youth complaint at Simonds Park. The Fire Department had distinguished a small fire in the park. Police searched area but did not find youths reported to have started fire.
• At 10:04 p.m. police responded to a youth complaint at Wendy's at 112 Mall Road. Manager complained of an obnoxious teenage male who was yelling obscenities in the store before going out to the parking lot. Manager stated is approximately 17 year old, short, shaven head and wearing a black hoodie and jeans. Youth had left when police arrived.