Last month the blog got an assist from 13-year-old Tyngsboro resident Mikhail Higley, who lives in the area of Scribner Road, and has an interest in a scanner he found.
Mikhail, who’s photographic talents can be seen by following the link above, has now started his own blog!
You can follow Mikhail and keep track of things in Tyngsboro by following this link.
I’ll be checking the site quite a bit. Good luck Mikhail.
That’s the presumably fake identity someone used on Monday when they scammed an elderly Tewksbury woman out of $5,000.
It’s as pathetic as it is outlandish.
Police Chief Timothy Sheehan twice described the perpetrators as “degenerates.”
The scammer called the woman and claimed to be a law enforcement official in Bolivia, where he said the woman’s grandson had been imprisoned. The woman needed to immediately wire $5,000 via Money Gram International Transfer in order to get her grandson out of prison.
The woman went to Wal-Mart and wired the money. She was told her grandson was safe in Massachusetts. By the time she tried to cancel the wire transfer, the money had already been claimed by “Max Goody,” in Bolivia.
Scams like this — that pray on the love of grandparents — are increasingly common, according to Tewksbury Police, the AARP, and federal agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and the State Department. Follow the links in the names for more information and tips on how to avoid these scams.
I heard earlier tonight about a fundraiser being held for Nancy Kheam, the 19-year-old Lowell woman who died early Sunday morning in a tragic accident on Interstate 495 in Boxboro.
One of Nancy’s friends, Sarny Xayadeth, called me late tonight to confirm a fundraiser is being held Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., at the Big Kahuna, in Chelmsford, to raise money to help Kheam’s family pay for funeral costs.
The event is being organized by a group of Nancy’s friends who have called themselves “Mrs Vans” since the sixth grade. Each letter of Mrs. Vans represents the first name of one of the group of friends. Nancy was the N in Vans.
Admission to the fundraiser is only $5. There will be food and a DJ, and collection boxes inside for those who can afford to contribute more.
Nancy Kheam’s family was still too distraught to talk last time I stopped by their house. It’s hard to imagine what they’re going through. If you’ve got $5 and an urge to help them, directions to the Big Kahuna are available by clicking the link embedded in the restaurant’s name.
I don’t know anything about the Kheam family’s circumstances, but as I was writing this it occurred to me that when I was 19-years-old, in school, and working at a restaurant, I didn’t have life insurance. I can’t imagine facing financial trouble while already coping with the loss of a child.
The sexual assault of a 26-year-old woman on the Riverwalk here in Lowell last summer was one of the more sick and alarming crimes I’ve covered during my career here in Lowell.
Truly random crime is very rare. This alarmed police so much I got a phone call about it at home on a Friday night from a detective. Police wanted to warn people.
Investigators also took the rare step of releasing their suspect’s photo before he was in custody. Police really wanted this guy locked up.
Lisa Redmond snapped this photo of Andrew Burke in Ayer District Court last week.
I was on the Riverwalk, talking to concerned joggers, when I got a cell phone call from Superintendent Lavallee informing me that Andrew Burke, of Lowell had just been found in Cambridge and arrested for the rape. The arrest brought and end to a week of police sweeps across the city seeking Burke.
Lisa Redmond reports from Lowell Superior Court today that Burke pleaded guilty to attempted murder, kidnapping, and two counts of aggravated rape. He was sentenced to 19 to 20 years in state prison, as you can read in this release from the District Attorney Gerard Leone.
I don’t often mention the outcome of court cases here in the blog, but this was a major story that scared a lot of people. I’m glad to see it’s over. Rot in hell Mr. Burke.
UPDATE: All is well. Car 4 en route back to the young man’s house to confirm that he just returned home.
I don’t think this has much time on it, but Lowell Police just started looking for a missing 11-year-old named Aaron who was last seen walking inbound on Gorham Street, possibly toward the Agawam Street area, according to radio broadcasts.
Aaron is described having brown hair and brown eyes. He is wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and jeans. If you spot him call Lowell Police at 978.937.3200.
He hasn’t been missing very long and I didn’t even catch a race or further description, so no need to panic. But if you spot the little guy let the cops know. Sounds like someone misses him.
The Sun's Police Line Blog 