Bobcat sighting in Methuen

This bobcat was spotted on Worcester Street in Methuen on April 7.Kenneth Lee

Every day, police officers respond to reports of all sorts of events and nonevents, most of which never make the news. Here is a sampling of lesser-known — but no less noteworthy — incidents from police log books (a.k.a. blotters) in our suburbs.

BOBCAT SPOTTED

A bobcat was spotted on Worcester Street in Methuen on April 7. Methuen Animal Control posted a photo of the feline on Facebook and said it was seen in the afternoon, between 3 and 4 p.m., in a wooded area behind the Howe Street Superette “It is not abnormal to see these guys passing through as their natural habitats are shrinking forcing them to pass through residential areas," the Facebook post said. “They mean no harm and are usually just passing by. Bobcats tend to be shy and avoid people. They eat a variety of animal species with their main diet consisting of mice, rats, squirrels, chickens, wild birds, rabbits. This is a great time to remember that we do share our space with a variety of wildlife.” The Facebook post also included some tips for residents. To keep wildlife away, you should feed your pets inside, make sure your trash is secured, empty the grease trap on outdoor grills, avoid using bird feeders, pick up after your dog, keep cats inside, and block any holes under decks, sheds, and foundations.

OOPS

Around 10 p.m. June 14, someone who was trying to retrieve a boat from a pond in Groton ended up with an even bigger problem. It happened at Baddacook Pond when the boat’s owner backed a car too far down onto the boat ramp and it slid into the pond. Police posted a photo of the scene on Facebook and shared a video on Twitter of the vehicle getting pulled out of the pond. “Thankfully no one was hurt, but it did create quite a scene on Martins Pond Rd!” police wrote.

At 10 pm, a citizen was backing up to pull out their boat. They backed up too far and their car began slipping into the Baddacook Pond. Thankfully no one was hurt but it did make quite a scene on Martins Pond Rd #grotonma pic.twitter.com/MfmYDv5zQN

— Groton MA Police Dept (@GrotonPolice) June 15, 2020

UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS

At 5:43 p.m. May 30, Wilmington police received a 911 call from Burger King about a customer who was refusing to leave the drive-through. Police responded and located the vehicle near Lucci’s Market. According to the log entry, the customer said she was going to file a complaint with Burger King’s corporate office about the "attitude she was given.”

At 2:28 p.m. June 11, an employee at the Dunkin’ on Middlesex Avenue in Wilmington told police that a customer who “wasn’t happy” threw a sandwich at him over a pricing dispute. The customer then drove off in a gray sedan with New York plates. The employee said the car initially drove north on Route 62 and then turned around and went in the opposite direction. Police were unable to locate the vehicle.

MORE ANIMAL CALLS

On March 24, Saugus police received a call about a raccoon in the Town Hall Annex at 25 Main St. that “chased someone and tried attacking them.”

On April 4, the animal control officer in Wilmington saw a squirrel in a cage outside a home on Silverhurst Avenue. According to the log entry, the officer had a conversation with a man at the house who agreed to let the squirrel out of the cage. The animal control officer confirmed that the little critter was set free.

On April 9, Stow police got a call from a woman who reported that a “hairless coyote” had run through her yard on Lowell Drive.

On the morning of June 5, Wilmington police got a call about a “live chicken in the roadway” on Forest Street. The animal control officer responded and reported that the chicken had been brought home.

At 5:14 p.m. June 9, Stow police heard from a man on Thicket Circle who reported that a domesticated parrot landed on his shoulder. Animal Control Officer Phyllis Tower said efforts to find the bird’s owner were unsuccessful and the parrot was “rehomed to someone else with bird experience.”