MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury police on March 1 interviewed a local resident who had apparently been victimized in a recent phone scam.
Police said the victim received a call from a person purporting to represent a company able to retrieve funds the victim had lost in a time-share scam. The victim was told she could get back her money, plus a $5,000 settlement; all she had to do was pay a 33-percent fee.
The company eventually deposited the money into the victim’s account and she was told to pay the 33-percent fee, according to police. The victim paid the fee, but then checked her account balance and found it cleaned out of the settlement and fee amount, according to police.
Police caution residents to beware of such scams, and to never give out personal information until the requester’s identity has been verified.
In other action last week, Middlebury police:
•  Responded to a report on Feb. 27 of a fire in the Pulp Mill Bridge. Fire Chief Dave Shaw said the caller saw smoke and assumed the bridge was ablaze. In reality, someone had spun their tires inside the bridge, creating a great deal of smoke, according to Shaw.
•  Cited Adrian Moore, 25, of Weybridge for larceny and unlawful mischief on Feb. 27 after he allegedly stole a donation container from a Main Street business. Police allege Moore took the money from the container and then threw the container into the Otter Creek.
•  Were informed of a possible sexual assault in the Court Street area on Feb. 27.
•  Checked on the welfare of a man who had been pacing on the Cross Street bridge on Feb. 28.
•  Investigated the alleged theft of cash from the Courtyard by Marriott on Feb. 28.
•  Cited Lee-Ann Kenyon, 50, of Middlebury for driving under the influence, following a stop on Creek Road on Feb. 28. Police said they measured Kenyon’s blood-alcohol content at 0.185 percent; the legal limit for driving is 0.08.
•  Responded to a report of a disabled tractor-trailer unit on Case Street on Feb. 28.
•  Responded to a reported fight in progress in the Main Street area on March 1. Police said the “fight” was actually two drunken friends wrestling as a joke. Police said they ensured both men were picked up by a sober party.
•  Assisted a local resident who had allegedly been sent a bad check in payment for a snow machine on March 1.
•  Received a syringe a citizen had found in the Sugarwood Court area on March 1. Police disposed of the item.
•  Assisted Middlebury Regional EMS in caring for an overdose patient on March 2. Police said the woman was alert and breathing well as she was taken to Porter Hospital.
•  Helped Vermont State Police take a suspect into custody on Court Street Extension on March 2.
•  Helped Middlebury College Public Safety deal with protesters who has been blocking a vehicle on Porter Field Road on March 2.
•  Checked into the wellbeing of a man who seemed “confused” when he got off a bus on Route 7 South on March 2.
•  Investigated a report of a barking dog on Seminary Street on March 2.
•  Assisted state police at the scene of a crash on Route 30 in Cornwall on March 1.
•  Were informed on March 3 that some children had been knocking on a Monroe Street resident’s door and then running away.
•  Responded to two separate noise complaints in the Court Street area on March 3.
•  Helped serve a restraining order on a person in the North Branch Road area on March 3.
•  Received on March 3 a report of an alleged sexual assault that might have taken place in the Middlebury area eight years ago.
•  Responded to a truancy complaint at Middlebury Union Middle School on March 3.
•  Investigated a report of a white truck racing back and forth on Benedict Lane on March 4.
•  Received a wallet that had been found on Merchants Row on March 4.