Franklin Police have some advice on how to "Prevent Porch Pirates"

As the cold winds and dark afternoons draw closer so do the Porch Pirates…

We’ve already experienced several calls involving swashbuckling pirates stealing packages off people's porches. 

how to "Prevent Porch Pirates"

To deter Porch Piracy you can:

1. Schedule delivery times to a time you know you’ll be home

2. Request a signature for high-value packages

3. Regularly track all shipments

4. Get to know your neighbors and see if they can grab your deliveries for you

5. Display a home security sign or other security deterrents

6. Get a big dog

7. Install a doorbell camera or other outdoor cameras

Remember….only you can prevent Porch Pirates this holiday season. If you find yourself victimized by these seasonal pirates or think you see these pirates in action, give us a call at 508-528-1212.

Shared from Franklin (MA) Police Dept Facebook page ->

https://www.facebook.com/100064353536794/posts/pfbid02r2n4w3THNmbks9JSXLJVdrBcEwHweBFayvL7rqqH8V1TPhZL8YFtuic4mHgnbvRdl/?mibextid=Nif5oz

Franklin Police: request assistance with break-in theft suspect video

On July 31, 2021, at approximately 10:13 PM the Franklin Police were notified of an alarm at Vallee Jewelers located at 68 Main Street.

Officers responded and observed the front door smashed and requested more units to the scene. Officers made entry to the building to check for suspects and found none still on scene. There was major damage to several display cases inside the store, and jewelry on the floor.

The Franklin Police K9 Unit was dispatched to scene and began a track which led down several streets and ultimately appeared to end where the suspect entered a vehicle and left the area.

 

Assistance from the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Unit was also called into to help process the scene.

 

Initial estimates place the losses in excess of $10,000.

 

At this time we are releasing video in the hopes that a member of the public will recognize the suspect. We ask that anyone with information contact the Franklin Police Detective Division at 508-528-1212.

 

• Video below or via this link  ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eSGxhUd1ZvOzKcH4ApNrLhgWS-PgDAYp/view?usp=sharing
  

 

Franklin Police: request assistance with break-in theft suspect video

 

In the News: Identity theft problem with unemployment;

From the Milford Daily News, an article of interest for Franklin: 

"John and Stephanie Jennings received quite a surprise during the coronavirus pandemic.

Early in the outbreak, Stephanie opened a letter from the state Department of Unemployment Assistance that said her unemployment benefits claim had been processed.

The problem is she never filed one, because she wasn’t out of work.

A few weeks later, John received a similar letter from the DUA. He was also employed, working remotely from home.

Someone — or some entity — stole the couple’s personal identification, and filed fraudulent claims with the DUA."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201010/a-horrible-situation-metrowest-residents-target-of-stolen-identity-during-coronavirus-pandemic?rssfeed=true

"Gov. Charlie Baker met with White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx on Friday after she met with a group of college presidents in Cambridge.

Birx became a familiar face earlier this year when she regularly appeared with President Donald Trump at White House briefings on the coronavirus. Now she is on a nationwide tour of college campuses.

Birx visited the Broad Institute on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Friday for a roundtable discussion with college and university presidents from Massachusetts.

Birx said Massachusetts and the rest of the Northeast are seeing what she called a “silent spread” with more and people catching the virus, but not showing symptoms."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201010/birx-warns-of-covid-19-silent-spread-during-meeting-with-baker?rssfeed=true

In the News: police alert residents to lock cars; unemployment in MA is highest in USA

 From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

A ring of criminals who steal belongings from cars and trucks has swept through several local communities in the last two weeks, and police are telling residents there’s one huge way they can protect their vehicles — by locking them.

From Wednesday through Saturday last week, vehicle break-ins were reported in Dover, Needham and Sherborn, said Medway police Lt. Matt Reardon. On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, he said Hopedale, Holliston, Franklin, Medway and Millis were hit.

“We believe it’s the same organized crew responsible for all the break-ins both nights,” Reardon said. On Tuesday night there were eight break-ins reported in town, he said, with West Street and the lower Village Street area targeted.

The thefts happened late at night into the wee hours of the morning, and all vehicles hit were unlocked, said Reardon. That’s why Medway police, along with more than five other local departments, are urging residents to lock their vehicles at night, with some advocating for the “9 p.m. routine.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)  

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200821/organized-crew-of-criminals-is-sweeping-area-police-urge-residents-to-lock-up-vehicles?rssfeed=true

"The state’s unemployment rate, which soared during the coronavius pandemic, fell to 16.1% in July, yet remains the highest in the nation, according to numbers released Friday by state and federal labor officials.

The July rate is down 1.6 percentage points from the adjusted June rate of 17.7%, according to the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The national unemployment rate in July was 10.2%. The Massachusetts unemployment rate in July 2019 was 2.9%.

Massachusetts added more than 72,000 jobs last month after adding nearly 95,000 in June as the state continues to recover from the economic shutdown prompted by the pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200821/mass-unemployment-rate-down-to-161-still-highest-in-nation?rssfeed=true

IRS launches Identity Theft Central

IRS launches Identity Theft Central
Focuses on needs of taxpayers, tax professionals and businesses

The Internal Revenue Service today launched Identity Theft Central, designed to improve online access to information on identity theft and data security protection for taxpayers, tax professionals and businesses.

Located on IRS.gov, Identity Theft Central is available 24/7 at irs.gov/identitytheft. It is a resource on how to report identity theft, how taxpayers can protect themselves against phishing, online scams and more.

Improving awareness and outreach are hallmarks of initiatives to combat identity theft coordinated by the IRS, state tax agencies and the nation's tax industry, all working in partnership under the Security Summit banner.

Since 2015, the Security Summit partners have made substantial progress in the fight against tax-related identity theft. But thieves are still constantly looking for ways to steal the identities of individuals, tax professionals and businesses in order to file fraudulent tax returns for refunds.

The partnership has taken a number of steps to help educate and improve protections for taxpayers, tax professionals and businesses. As part of this effort, the IRS has redesigned the information into a new, streamlined page − Identity Theft Central − to help people get information they need on ID theft, scams and schemes.

From this special page, people can get specific information including:

• Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft, including what to do if someone becomes a victim of identity theft
• Identity Theft Information for Tax Professionals, including knowing responsibilities under the law
• Identity Theft Information for Businesses, including how to recognize the signs of identity theft
• The page also features videos on key topics that can be used by taxpayers or partner groups. The new page includes a video message from IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, warning signs for phishing email scams – a common tactic used for identity theft – and steps for people to protect their computer and phone.

Tax professionals and others may want to bookmark Identity Theft Central and check their specific guidance periodically for updates.

This is part of an ongoing effort by the IRS to share identity theft-related information with the public. The IRS continues to look for ways to raise awareness and improve education and products related to identity theft for taxpayers and the tax professional community.

IRS launches Identity Theft Central