Dedham Police Department

Over the past month, our community has been impacted by a surge in vehicles being entered, items taken from vehicles and vehicles stolen during the overnight hours. We have received 21 reports of vehicles entered since April 3, 2026, along with 8 reports of vehicles stolen since March 26, 2026.

The East Dedham and Oakdale areas have experienced most of this crime.

Most of the vehicles entered appear to have been left unlocked. In one case, a vehicle window was broken. This took place in an apartment complex parking lot.

Several of the stolen vehicles were left unlocked and keys have been left inside vehicles. In a couple of cases, owners reported losing keys recently. All but two of the stolen vehicles have been recovered.

One arrest has been made in relation to a vehicle theft.

These are crimes of opportunity. There are steps that can be taken to reduce the opportunity. These include always locking your vehicle and not leaving valuables inside your vehicle. Park in well lit areas when possible. If you observe or hear anything unusual during the nighttime hours around a vehicle in your neighborhood, please obtain as much descriptive information as possible and call 781 326-1212 for an officer to respond.

Officers will be patrolling neighborhoods during the overnight hours to deter and detect this activity.

As National Public Safety Telecommunicator Appreciation week comes to an end, we’d like to recognize our E-911 Dispatchers for the work that they do to keep our community safe every day. If you need emergency services; police officers, firefighters or paramedics may respond. You see these people. Before the police officers firefighters or paramedics arrive, you may talk with an emergency dispatcher. The people you hear but don’t see perform an invaluable service in collecting information, providing direction to callers, calming people in emergency situations and directing the police officers, firefighters and paramedics to respond. Thanks to our wonderful team of E-911 Dispatchers for all you do to support us.

The Dedham Police Department will once again participate in the DEA National Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday April 25, 2026.

Unused or expired medications may be disposed of in the parking lot area of the Dedham Police Department located at 26 Bryant Street between 10 am – 1 pm on Saturday April 25, 2026. An officer will be present to accept the medications.

Why are the Dedham Police participating in this program?

- Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue which can lead to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse.
- Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision.
- The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends, and the home medicine cabinet.
- Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold.
- Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment.
- Take-back programs are the best way to dispose of old drugs. The Dedham Police accept unused and expired drugs in the public lobby of the Police Station 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

- For more information on prescription drug abuse go to:
o www.dea.gov
o www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com
o www.justthinktwice.com

We encourage all to do some spring cleaning. Check your medicine cabinets for unused and expired medications. Bring them to the Dedham Police Station on Saturday April 25, 2026, between 10 am – 1 pm for safe disposal.