Crime & Safety

Assault Alleged at Market Basket, Attacker Says "It's Hockey Season"

The following information was supplied by the Westford Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction. More detailed reports may be delayed due to extenuating circumstances.


Dec. 4, 11:22 a.m. – A student at Nashoba Tech was walking down the hallway yelling at an employee, asking to talk to him. The employee entered a room and the student sat on a bench, continuing to yell requesting to speak to the employee.

The student resource officer on the scene advised the student to stop yelling and that he would be charged with disrupting school if he did not.

The officer also advised the student to wait until later to talk to the employee, or a possible summons to the Lowell Juvenile Court may follow.

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The student understood and stopped yelling.

Dec. 19, 11:03 p.m. – A dog was barking on Groton Road, loudly enough to warrant attention from a neighbor, who called the police.

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An officer in the area went to the house where the dog was reported, saw a medium sized dog on the porch in the distance, but no sound of barking.

The officer then looked inside a vehicle in the driveway. It had no occupants.

Moving closer to the porch, the officer saw that the porch steps were covered in snow and the dog was tangled inside banisters on the porch. The officer ringed the bell, to no response. However, a nearby door was open, with at this point the officer requested dispatch for assistance.

The officer rang the doorbell again, looking inside the window and waiting for the second officer.

After the second officer arrived on scene, they went to the other door and knocked loudly. An older gentleman approached the door and was identified as the owner of the house.

When told about the barking, the man apologized and said he fell asleep and forgot about the dog. While the man appeared tired, he was not in any immediate need of medical attention according to the officer.

Dec. 22, 7:52 a.m. – Police were dispatched to the Cornerstone Square Market Basket for a reported assault and battery on an employee.

The previous evening, the employee said that a customer punched him in the shoulder in Aisle 12 when he was distracted by another customer.

The employee said “Are you serious?” to the customer, who replied, “relax, it’s hockey season.” The employee then confronted the customer, inferring “he was lucky to be a customer,” which was met with casual obscenity.

At this point, the customer was told he was no longer welcome in the store, at which he did not object to.

The customer was described as Caucasian, in his mid to late 20s with a beard, wearing blue jeans, a green winter jacket, a red and green hat.

The employee did not wish any charges filed against the customer, but requested that he be informed by police that he would no longer be welcome on premises.

The officer attempted to ascertain the identity of the customer by checking the credit card he used to make his purchase and talking to his bank, but the bank was unable to provide identity information for the customer.








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