Compiled by

Arrests and
Summons

AMHERST

Aljava Y. Johnson, 42, who provided an address as the Craig’s Place homeless shelter, was arrested Jan. 14 at 7:21 p.m. on North Pleasant Street near the downtown bars on a charge of disorderly conduct after he was riding his bicycle in the middle of the road, police said. Johnson had been warned by officers at 7:04 p.m. to stay out of the road and to stop threatening drivers, according to police.

Claire A. Romanski, 24, of Campus Plaza Road, Hadley, was arrested Jan. 11 at 9:38 p.m. at Big Y Supermarket on University Drive on a charge of shoplifting more than $100 in items by concealment, police said.

A 20-year-old Amherst man will be summoned to court on charges of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and failure to use care in passing following a one-car accident on West Street Jan. 9 at 9:12 a.m., police said.

Day-by-day
police calls

MONDAY, JAN 9

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

1:47 p.m. – A Belchertown Road resident reported getting a Fruit Roll-Up and a smiley face in the mail, possibly from someone who attended a performance she gave in Northampton. Police advised her to contact the post office.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

6:35 p.m. – A person stumbling around inside a downtown restaurant was issued a trespass notice and removed.

LARCENY

8:46 a.m. – Xanax was reported stolen from a North Amherst home, though police found no evidence of a theft.

BREAK-INS

10:55 a.m. – Police are investigating a break-in to an Amity Street residence made by smashing a window.

MOTOR VEHICLE

ACCIDENTS

1:10 a.m. – A vehicle went off Hallock Street into a tree, police said. The driver declined medical attention.

3:57 p.m. – Both vehicles were towed following a two-car accident with no personal injuries at the intersection of College and South Whitney streets, police said.

TUESDAY, JAN. 10

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

2:58 p.m. – Police took a report of a man with a handgun sitting in a vehicle on Hall Drive. Police were unable to locate any person matching the description.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

10:18 a.m. – Police provided advice to an Amherst resident who reported a person trespassing on her property.

NOISE COMPLAINTS

8:51 p.m. – Police issued a verbal warning to Southpoint Apartments residents whose children were running and talking loudly, and bothering neighbors.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 11

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

12:20 a.m. – A Puffton Village resident reported returning home to find items moved from beneath her kitchen and bathroom sinks, and the heat turned on even though she had shut it off before leaving several weeks earlier. Police determined that maintenance workers likely were in the home to restore the heat and check for damage to pipes.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

10:58 a.m. – A 2-year-old child who locked herself in a vehicle at Groff Park was freed after AAA was called.

DISTURBANCES

9:20 p.m. – Three men and a woman yelling at each other while walking on North Pleasant Street told police they were heading to the homeless shelter for the night.

LARCENY

2:56 p.m. – A man reported that he was sitting in a vehicle at Colonial Village when he was punched and money was taken from him. Police are investigating the possible robbery.

MOTOR VEHICLE

ACCIDENTS

1:04 p.m. – A vehicle parked at Brandywine Apartments sustained a damaged rear bumper when it was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle, police said.

4:34 p.m. – One vehicle was towed following a two-car accident with no personal injuries at the intersection of Bay Road and Mechanic Street, police said.

THURSDAY, JAN. 12

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

8:31 a.m. – Police went to a Belchertown Road building where a man was alleged to be pulling down siding. Officers determined the work is part of renovations to the building.

3:21 p.m. – A man working at an East Hadley Road apartment complex told police a former girlfriend was driving around the parking lot, possibly waiting for him to go home.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

1:49 p.m. – Police issued a trespass notice to a customer at a South Amherst store.

DISTURBANCES

12:13 p.m – Police kept the peace between people arguing over ownership of a laptop computer at a residence at The Boulders.

VANDALISM

8:14 p.m. – A vehicle was reported damaged while parked outside a University Drive restaurant.

FIGHTS

2:07 a.m. – People trying to fight outside a Belchertown Road bar were sent on their way.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

8:40 a.m. – A bull that got loose and entered a neighbor’s South East Street yard was put back in its pen by its owner.

10:26 p.m. – The carcass of a large otter in the middle of Old Farm Road was removed.

MOTOR VEHICLE

ACCIDENTS

6:32 p.m. – A driver was issued a citation for failure to use care in turning following a two-car accident at the intersection of Meadow Street and Route 116, police said. Both vehicles were towed.

FRIDAY, JAN. 13

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

2:46 a.m. – Lights were discovered on inside the school buildings at the South Amherst Campus. No one was found inside the buildings.

2:52 a.m. – A bell was heard ringing from the Sunderland Road Eversource substation. The utility was notified.

10:18 a.m. – Police determined a vehicle parked on Hobart Lane belonged to a person removing trash from the street.

12:47 p.m. – Children walking on thin ice on a pond near Wildwood School were not located.

5:45 p.m. – A woman reported seeing a strange light in the sky over Belchertown Road that she said was brighter than a star but dimmer than the moon. Police determined the light was coming from a star.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

6:07 p.m. – A North Pleasant Street resident reported two people making out in the hallway outside his apartment, possibly in retaliation for an earlier incident. Police discovered the couple was just goffing off and didn’t know the tenant.

VANDALISM

11:04 p.m. – A dent was put in the hood of a Lexus luxury sedan parked at Presidential Apartments.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

12:34 p.m. – A dog bit a home health aide on her thumb at a Greenleaves Drive home. The woman drove herself to an urgent care facility for treatment.

TRAFFIC

1:51 p.m. – A film crew blocking a crosswalk near the intersection of Main Street and Boltwood Walk was advised to move.

SATURDAY, JAN. 14

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

2:28 p.m. – People ringing doorbells at South East Street homes were determined to be Jehovah’s Witnesses distributing religious magazines. Officers told them to alert the department the neighborhoods in which they will be going door-to-door.

DISTURBANCES

6:03 p.m. – A man yelling at Hawkins Meadow was upset that his phone wasn’t working.

BREAK-INS

8:14 p.m. – Police are investigating a break-in to an unlocked apartment on North East Street in which a laptop was reported stolen.

NOISE COMPLAINTS

4:49 p.m. – Police responded to a noise complaint at Southpoint Apartments where children were banging into the walls. A parent was warned about their behavior.

MOTOR VEHICLE

ACCIDENTS

10:56 a.m. – A vehicle parked at Colonial Village sustained minor damage when it was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle, police said.

SUNDAY, JAN. 15

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

3:39 p.m. – A man allegedly pulled up to a girl walking on Columbia Drive and waved a $50 bill at her before continuing on his way. Police got a second report of a similar incident on West Street near Atkins Farms Country Market. Police are investigating.

9:17 p.m. – A woman reported a belligerent panhandler in front of the downtown bars. Police discovered the woman had instigated the man by yelling at him and demanding that he get a job, after he asked her for spare change.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

3:45 p.m. – Police were notified about a man stealing farm equipment, including a rototiller, pole driver and spreader, as well as lumber, from a North Amherst site. The man was being evicted and the alleged thefts are part of a civil matter in which the property is being sold and the equipment needs to be removed.

DISTURBANCES

5:30 p.m. – A drunken man broke a chair at a Colonial Village apartment before fleeing.

VANDALISM

5:45 p.m. – A light post was knocked over at Townehosue Apartments.

NOISE COMPLAINTS

12:25 a.m. – Police issued a verbal warning to Townehouse Apartments residents holding a loud party.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

10:11 a.m. – The animal welfare officer is investigating an incident in which a man was bitten on the ankle by a chihuahua in the area of North Pleasant Street and Cowles Lane. The victim was checked by paramedics, who determined his skin was not broken.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

3:13 p.m. – Police assisted firefighters in extinguishing a motor vehicle fire near College Inn Apartments.