Suspect in Car Break-in Has a Hankering for Diet Soda, Man Inadvertently Tells Officers About Warrant: The Weekend in Crime

NEWTON, MA – Editor's Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Newton Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a Massachusetts Patch police report.

Friday, July 15

• Michael Aviles, 26, was overheard saying he had a warrant out for his arrest. Aviles was arrested by a sergeant and officer after the officer confirmed that he had a straight warrant out of Lawrence District Court.

• Bette Gatto, 69, of Brookline, was arrested after an alleged attempted shoplifting at the Bloomingdale's at 225 Boylston St. A woman, later identified as Gatto, was seen taking numerous jewelry items and sleep wear sets into the dressing room. She then was seen leaving the dressing room with items inside her bag. Employees asked Gatto if they could look inside her bag. She had reportedly removed the security tags from the items before placing them inside. Gatto was arrested and charged with larceny over $250.

• A suspicious man was reported in JFK Circle. He was described as white, with a stocky build, dark t-shirt and dark pants. The caller told police she observed the man making a lot of noise near the window of the laundry room. She said it appeared as though he was carrying a heavy object and struggling to get it into the building. Police noticed a screen removed and a chair at the base of a window. The laundry room door had been propped open using a folding chair and the washing machine was in operation.

Saturday, July 16

• Police responded to a report of vandalism of a motor vehicle on John Street. The caller said the car had been keyed sometime between Thursday and Saturday.

• A caller reported a past breaking and entering to a motor vehicle in the Pearl Street municipal lot. The caller said the GMC Yukon had been parked in the lot around 7:20 p.m. and shortly before 9 p.m. its rear driver's side window was found broken. The sole item missing was a white soft cooler with four diet Dr. Peppers.

Sunday, July 17

• Police responded to a report of vandalism of a motor vehicle at Andover Newton Theological School. The caller showed the responding officer the fresh damage to his car, which included scratch marks on all four sides of the vehicle and its hood and dents on the A frame, resulting in cracks in the windshield. The front plate had been partially ripped off and the sun roof had been smashed out. The car was not entered, as the hole in the sun roof was not large enough for a person to climb through. The caller told police he had parked his car at the school around 9:30 p.m. the night before and when he returned around 1:30 a.m. he noticed the damage.