The people of Lowell were apparently on their best behavior for the holiday season as the Lowell Police Department reports December was a quiet month. Other than a spate of larcenies downtown, crime numbers from the month were some of the lowest of the year.
Here’s a snapshot of department cases during December 2020:
- 44 calls for assistance to citizens
- 14 calls for assistance to other agencies
- 12 car accidents
- 7 larcenies
- 4 total arrests
- 4 verbal assaults
- 2 assaults
- 1 malicious destruction of property
- 1 ordinance violation
Plus, the department made 69 traffic stops and issued 9 citations in December.
Larcenies Target Downtown Shops
The only notable crime from December was a string of larcenies occurring at downtown stores. A suspect has been identified although no charges have been brought yet.
In the wake of the episodes, Detective Gordy Lauren says he hopes to connect with shop owners, particularly those who are new, to answer questions and offer suggestions to prevent future thefts. “My goal is to get with them and help them tighten up security,” he says.
He also encourages shop owners not to hesitate to call if they think they’ve been the victim of a theft, no matter how small. Some owners may worry that it’s not worth the police’s time to report a small loss but having these reports helps the police detect patterns in criminal behavior. Plus, “This is our job to go out and investigate,” Lauren says.
Tickets Issued for Overnight Parking
While the Lowell Police Department didn’t issue many traffic tickets in December, they did write 48 parking tickets for vehicles left on the street overnight.
During the winter months, on-street parking is prohibited from 2-6am to ensure snowplows can clear the roads if needed. With the first meaningful snowfall of the season hitting Lowell in December, the police found many people either forgot or disregarded the city ordinance.
“We don’t want to be writing tickets,” Chief Chris Hurst says, and he asks residents to be mindful of moving their vehicles off the road each night, particularly when snow is in the forecast. He also reminds people to be sure their windshields are completely cleared of ice and snow before venturing out onto the road.
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