winthrop police department

Police Chief John Goodwin and the Winthrop Police Department would like to share safety tips so residents can stay safe while trick-or-treating.

Winthrop will be celebrating Halloween on Thursday, Oct. 31. From sunset to approximately 9 p.m., the Maze area will be closed to public traffic, allowing for resident vehicles only. There is public parking along Ingleside Park on Walden Street.

“We hope that everyone has a safe and happy Halloween,” said Chief Goodwin. “To accomplish this, it is imperative that parents and children review and adhere to safety practices. Everyone plays a role on this holiday to ensure a safe and fun evening of trick-or-treating.”

The Department would like the share the following safety tips to help keep community members safe this Halloween:

Costume Safety:

Below are some tips from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help you and your loved ones enjoy a safe and happy Halloween.

• All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant. If you make your costume, use flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon.
• If children are allowed out after dark, they should fasten reflective tape to their costumes and bags or be given flashlights or glow sticks.
• When buying Halloween makeup, ensure it is nontoxic and always test it 24-48 hours in advance in a small area first. If a rash, redness, swelling or other signs of irritation develop where the makeup was applied, that’s a sign of a possible allergy.
• Remove all makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation.
• Don’t decorate your face with things not intended for your skin.
• Don’t wear decorative or colored contact lenses that appear to change how your eyes look due to the risk of eye injury unless you have seen an eye care professional for a proper fitting and have been given instructions for how to use the lenses.
• Ensure costumes properly fit and are not too long. Long costumes could result in accidental falls or tripping.
• If wearing a mask, make sure you can see clearly out of it to avoid injuries such as falling or walking into things.

Trick-or-Treating Safety:

According to the National Safety Council, children are more than twice as likely to be struck by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. To help prevent such a tragedy, parents and trick-or-treaters are urged to consider these tips before heading out:

• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds.
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable for you.
• Agree on a specific time children should return home.
• Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car.
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends.
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home.
• Children and adults are reminded to put electronic devices down, keep their heads up, and walk, don’t run, across the street.

Driving Safety:

The following tips, courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, can help keep the roads safe on Halloween:

• On Halloween, there will likely be more pedestrians on the roads and in places where they are not expected. Slower speeds save lives. Continue to scan the road in areas where they are likely to be or where sight distances are limited.
• Be alert for pedestrians who may emerge from between parked cars or behind shrubbery. Stop and wait for them to pass.
• Don’t drive distracted. Keep your eyes on the road, your mind on driving and your hands on the wheel.
• Don’t drive impaired. Designate a sober driver or use a taxi or rideshare service. Contact law enforcement if you see a potentially impaired driver on the road.
• Remember that social host liability laws may hold you responsible for parties where underage people drink, regardless of who furnishes the alcohol. You could be held legally accountable for your guests’ behavior after they leave.
• Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloween.

Winthrop Police wishes all a happy, fun and safe evening of trick-or-treating on Halloween!

Chief Terence M. Delehanty reports that the Winthrop Police Department is investigating an incident in which a Winthrop resident was scammed out of $35,000 and are warning the public about the proliferation of such scams.

On Nov. 30, the Winthrop Police Department was notified that an 80-year-old Winthrop resident was scammed out of $35,000. The resident was coerced into withdrawing money from the bank and sending it to an unknown person via a bitcoin ATM machine. The incident is under active investigation by the Winthrop Police Department.

In light of this incident, the Winthrop Police Department reminds residents to use caution, slow down, and reach out to trusted individuals if they believe they have been contacted by scammers.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers the following four signs to help people recognize possible scams:

• Scammers pretend to be from an organization you know. They might use a real name, like the Social Security Administration, the IRS, or Medicare, or make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from a business you know, like a utility company, a tech company, or even a charity asking for donations.
• Scammers say there’s a problem or prize. They might say you’re in trouble with the government, that you owe money, that someone in your family had an emergency, or that there’s a virus on your computer. Some scammers say there’s a problem with one of your accounts and that you need to verify some information. Others will lie and say you won money in a lottery or sweepstakes but have to pay a fee to get it.
• Scammers pressure you to act immediately. They might tell you not to hang up so you can’t check out their story. They might threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver’s or business license, or deport you. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.
• Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way. They often insist that you pay by sending money through bitcoin, a money transfer company or by putting money on a gift card and then giving them the number on the back. Some will send you a check (that will later turn out to be fake), tell you to deposit it, and then send them money.

The FTC also recommends that if you get an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Instead, contact the company using a website you know is trustworthy, or look up their phone number. Don’t call a number they gave you or the number from your caller ID.

The U.S. Marshal in Boston put out a warning on Nov. 17 about a scam involving fraudulent callers contacting members of the public and alleging that they are working with or for agents of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as well as the U.S. Marshals Service in Massachusetts.

The calls appear to be the main line of the U.S. Marshals Office in Boston, 617-748-2500. This tactic is known as “spoofing,” where phone scammers use an existing software technology to modify what number actually appears on the victim’s caller ID. This is an attempt to impersonate phone numbers from friends, local businesses, and even federal law enforcement to appear legitimate.

These scammers research their targets and know exactly who they are calling and what real property that they own.

The U.S. Marshals Service offered the following points to remember:

• U.S. Marshals will never request credit/debit card/gift card numbers, wire transfers, or bank routing numbers for any purpose whatsoever.
• Never divulge personal identifying information or financial information to any
  unknown callers.
• Report all scam phone calls to your local FBI office and to the FTC.
• You can remain anonymous when you report.
• Finally, if an apparent scammer provides what sounds like a court order,
  immediately authenticate the call by calling the clerk of the court’s office of
  the U.S. District Court in your area and verify the court order given by the
  caller.

“A key point to remember when trying to protect yourself against such scams is that few legitimate businesses will have you send payment via bitcoin, gift cards or money transfer,” said Chief Delehanty. “We encourage anyone receiving these types of calls or communications to slow down, take a deep breath, and reach out to friends, family members, or Winthrop Police for advice on what next steps should be.”

Residents who believe they may have fallen victim to a scam, or who believe they may be communicating with would-be scammers, are encouraged to contact the Winthrop Police Department at 617-846-1212.

For more information about scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website or the state’s website here.

Chief Terence M. Delehanty reports that the Winthrop Police Department has charged a driver from East Boston following a fatal accident that occurred on Friday afternoon.

KENNETH THOMPSON, AGE 84, of EAST BOSTON, has been charged with:

• Motor Vehicle Homicide, Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol
• Failure to Stop/Yield

Winthrop public safety dispatchers received multiple 9-1-1 calls on Friday, Aug. 13, at 3:26 p.m. regarding a two-car accident at the intersection of Hagman Road and Walden Street. First responders from the Winthrop Police Department, Winthrop Fire Department EMS, and Action Ambulance arriving at the scene discovered that the female operator of a Jeep involved in the accident had been critically injured.

First responders performed lifesaving measures on the driver. She was taken by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.

A preliminary investigation by Winthrop Police suggests that a Hyundai Elantra traveling northbound on Hagman Road, learned to be operated by THOMPSON, collided with the Jeep, traveling on Pauline Street toward Woodside Avenue, at the intersection of Pauline Street, Hagman Road and Walden Street.

The accident continues to be under investigation by the Winthrop Police Department, the State Police Accident Reconstruction Team, and detectives assigned to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.