Burlington Police Honor 12-Year-Old for Helping Find Neighbor's Stolen Car

Burlington Police Chief Michael R. Kent announced Wednesday he gave an award to a very observant 12-year-old girl who recently helped police find her neighbor’s stolen car.

On Friday, Nov. 21, 12-year-old Merry Lapointe, of Woburn, was on her way to school on Marian Road in Woburn when she noticed a black Ford Escape SUV parked in a parking lot. She had heard that neighbor’s car had been stolen recently, and the vehicle she passed by seemed to look familiar.

As a result of her alertness, police officers identified the car as the same one that a Woburn resident had reported stolen from a store parking lot in Burlington on Nov. 14. Burlington Police Detectives were able to process the vehicle for evidence and are hopeful that they will be able to find the person responsible for the theft.

“Merry is a very responsible young lady who had her eyes open and helped her neighbor recover his stolen car,” Chief Kent said. “We can all learn a lesson from her. Always be aware of your surroundings, and call the police if you see something that looks out of the ordinary.”

Chief Kent presented Merry with the “Chief’s Coin” and a department T-shirt in his office last week. In the police culture, a Chief’s Coin (also known as a Challenge Coin) are often earned by fellow law enforcement officers or members of the military for going above and beyond the call of duty. Chief Kent gave Merry a coin in recognition of her own detective skills.