Norwood police say a late‑night search for a stolen car turned into a two‑vehicle headache early Monday, after officers spotted a pickup that appeared to block their efforts to reel in the fleeing driver. The pickup later turned out to be stolen too, with the keys left inside, and was eventually tracked down in Malden and brought back to Norwood for evidence processing.
It all unfolded just after 2 a.m., according to police, when a vehicle flagged as stolen was picked up on one of Norwood’s traffic cameras. Officers tried to follow the car through town but pulled back for safety reasons as the pursuit escalated. Westwood police then picked up the chase as the stolen car looped back through Norwood and continued onto Route 1 into Walpole.
Police: Pickup Appeared to Interfere With Chase
According to the Norwood Police Department, officers received a tip around 2 a.m. that a stolen motor vehicle had passed one of the town's traffic cameras. As they moved in, they also noticed “a pickup truck that appeared to interfere with officers ability to catch up to the stolen car.”
When police ran the pickup’s plate, they learned it, too, had been reported stolen after the owner left the keys inside. Detectives say the truck is now being processed for evidence as they try to sort out exactly how it fit into the early‑morning chaos.
Chase Crossed Into Walpole; Norwood Pulled Back
Westwood police initiated the motor‑vehicle pursuit that headed back through Norwood, then out onto Route 1 in Walpole. Norwood officers ended their role in the chase after the suspect car blew through two red lights at high speed, a move that local outlets reported was made because the pursuit posed too great a risk to public safety, as reported by NBC Boston.
Truck Recovered In Malden; Police Processing Evidence
Norwood police said the pickup that appeared to interfere with the pursuit was later located in Malden. The vehicle was brought back to Norwood, where detectives are processing it for evidence as part of the broader investigation.
In their public updates, the department once again reminded residents that simple habits can make a difference, urging drivers to lock their vehicles and never leave keys inside, according to the Norwood Police Department.
Pattern Of Overnight Thefts In The Area
Police say this is the latest in a run of overnight thefts and multi‑town pursuits that have kept area departments busy. The recent incident echoes a November case in which seven teenagers were arrested after a series of chases and vehicle thefts that started in Norwood and spilled into several nearby communities, as reported by WHDH.
Officers continue to stress that while multi‑community chases grab headlines, the most effective deterrents are still the basics: locked doors, no keys left in the ignition, and a little less temptation for would‑be thieves roaming late at night.
