Police Log

The Police Log is a digest of reports provided by the Johnston Police Department.

TAXES AND STOLEN PHONE

On January 26 around 5:30 p.m., Officer Richard Varan responded to the H&R Block on Commerce Way in regards to a larceny of a cellular phone.

At the scene, the officer met with an H&R Block employee, who stated he had been working on a tax return for a client, later identified as Mary Davis, 26, of 264 George Waterman Road, Apt. A2 in Johnston. According to the report, the employee advised that he got up from the desk he was working at to obtain paperwork for Davis to complete. Davis then signed the papers before exiting the building.

When the employee returned to his actual work desk, located just across from the area where he was conducting business with Davis, he realized that his iPhone valued at approximately $700 was missing. The man stated to Officer Varan that the only person in the vicinity of the phone between the time he last saw it and when he realized it was missing was Davis. He said that when Davis left the building she would have to walk by his desk and had an opportunity to take the phone.

Once he realized the phone was missing, he activated his iPhone tracker and was able to pinpoint its location near the suspect’s address. Officer Varan attempted to make contact with Davis by phone, which was unsuccessful. Patrolman Michael Martufi later responded to Davis’ George Waterman address, but was told by another resident there that she had just left and they were unsure where she was. The officer advised the resident to have Davis contact police headquarters.

On February 1, an affidavit and arrest warrant was drafted for Davis for the charge of misdemeanor larceny. Patrolman Louis Cotoia along with other members of the department responded to the Foster Police Department on February 18, who had arrested Davis around 8 p.m. that day on the warrant charge. She was then transported to Johnston’s headquarters, where she was processed. She was later released with a Third District Court summons with a March court date.

OUTSTANDING WARRANT

On February 21 around 9:54 p.m., Officer Joseph Salvadore was patrolling the area of Oakdale Avenue when he observed a car traveling southbound on Killingly Street with no rear break lights. A traffic stop was then initiated.

Background tests on one of the car’s passengers, Laura-Jean Alverina Baumgardner, 27, of 9 King Tom Drive in Charlestown, had an active Narragansett Police warrant for obstructing a police officer and an active District Court bench warrant for driving without a license.

Baumgardner was placed under arrest without incident, transported to police headquarters and later turned over to the Narragansett Police Department’s custody. A warning was issued to the driver for the brake light violation.

THE SHOES GAVE HIM AWAY

Patrolman Derek Parascondolo responded to the BJ’s Wholesale club on February 21 around 1:14 p.m. for a reported shoplifting that had just occurred. Dispatch advised the officer that a television had been stolen and taken away in a suspect vehicle described as an older model burgundy Volkswagen Jetta and that the license plate numbers provided were from a stolen plate.

Store employees informed the officer that an unknown male grabbed a 48-inch television valued at $399.99 from the display shelf before running from the store. Surveillance footage showed a white male in his 40s wearing a gray winter hat, black jacket, jeans and fluorescent yellow shoes. A report was then taken and entered.

While on patrol in the area of 1680 Hartford Avenue on February 22 around 2:23 a.m., Patrolman Parascandolo observed an older model Volkswagen Jetta parked in front of East Side Shell. The car fit the description of a suspect vehicle that was used in a larceny from BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Officer Parascandolo then observed a male walking towards the vehicle wearing fluorescent yellow sneakers, which also fit the description of the sneakers worn by the male suspect in the BJ’s larceny. The man made eye contact with the officer, quickly entered the car and started it, then spun his tires and exited the lot without signaling or wearing his seat belt.

A traffic stop was initiated after the suspect turned onto Route 295 north. Upon approaching the vehicle the officer immediately identified him as the wanted suspect. He was then identified as William Parenteau, 48, of 80 Summit Street in Pawtucket, from his license.

According to the report, while conducting a vehicle inventory search, the officer observed a gray winter hat used by the suspect in the BJ’s larceny, two BJ’s security devices used on merchandise from the business, and a stolen license plate used on the vehicle during the BJ’s theft.

Parenteau was transported to police headquarters and held pending further investigation. An American Express card belonging to another party was found on his person, as was a clear plastic bag containing a white rocky substance resembling crack cocaine along with a glass smoke pipe.

“Listen man, it’s not crack, it’s soap,” Parenteau told the officer. Tests on the substance proved inconclusive, and officers believed the suspect was in possession of a counterfeit drug.

Parenteau was issued a summons for care in starting from stop, no seat belt, and turn signal required. Background checks revealed he had 21 previous charges, ranging from shoplifting to possession of drugs, is currently on probation and is a bail violator. He was brought before Judge Cenerini for arraignment and bail was set at $10,000 with surety. He was held pending arraignment at Superior Court.

SIGN STRUCK

This sign near the library was destroyed. http://johnstonsunrise.net/stories/sign-struck,122361?