Crime Stats Clash With Perceptions In Framingham Neighborhood

FRAMINGHAM, MA — If you go by crime stats, Framingham's Nobscot neighborhood is one of the safest in the city, police say. But that's a tough sell for Karen Road resident Stephen O'Donnell.

In September, O'Donnell's Jeep Cherokee was stolen out of his driveway in the middle of the night. He later saw it parked near the Nobscot Scout Reservation. He called police, but the car thieves escaped before officers arrived. The Jeep was found later in Lowell, and had been used in a crime. When O'Donnell finally got it back, it was littered with trash, including "marijuana cigarettes."

Top Framingham police officials met with Nobscot residents at City Hall on Wednesday night to talk about a perceived increase in crime. The event was organized by Nobscot resident and Zoning Board of Appeals member Rick McKenna.

During the meeting, residents told stories about crimes they've experienced or heard about. One man, who also lives in Karen Road, also had a car stolen. It was also found in Lowell, but full of paraphernalia like women's underwear and a bong when it was returned.

Some residents blamed the Brandon School along Edgell Road for an uptick in crime. But Chief Steve Trask cautioned residents about placing blame, especially since crime stats show that Nobscot has very low crime.

"We need to be careful what we're talking about here," Trask said.

According to police, there have been 113 offenses in Nobscot since the beginning of 2019. That doesn't mean there have been 113 separate incidents, Trask cautioned, because multiple offenses might happen during one incident. An offense can also mean someone got a traffic ticket or called for an ambulance.

The number of offenses drops to 67, Trask said, if two large apartment buildings in the neighborhood are excluded. The most frequent offense in Nobscot is missing persons. There have been eight so far this year, including five juveniles — suggesting a connection to the Brandon School, which provides treatment and behavioral health services to teen boys.

Property crimes are scattered. Since the beginning of the year, there have been three reported car break-ins, one home burglary, and two attempted break-ins, which occurred at the CVS along Water Street. There have also been three calls for suspicious activity, two stolen cars, and three reports of lost property.

Trask said that about 1 percent of all crime in Framingham has happened in the Nobscot area so far this year.

Still, residents were nervous. One man asked if he should call the police if he sees people walking around with hooded sweatshirts (he was advised not to, unless they are doing something overtly suspicious). Another resident wondered if the criminals were organizing to target Nobscot.

Police advised residents to be vigilant. The other man whose car was stolen had left it unlocked with the keys inside. Residents could get cameras and anti-crime lights if they want to deter prowlers. They should also report small things to police — for example, a pair of sunglasses or loose change missing from a car.

"I know it doesn't feel that way to Mr. O'Donnell," Trask said about the crime stats in Nobscot. "But it is a relatively safe spot."

O'Donnell remarked that his home is lit up "like Fenway Park" at night — and his Jeep was still stolen.