GROVELAND, MASS. (WHDH) - Groveland police have launched a criminal investigation into a report that a woman was followed through a neighborhood by a man in a vehicle on Monday who accused her of suspicious activity, officials said.
Groveland Police Chief Jeffrey T. Gillen said he was “deeply disturbed” by the incident that allegedly occurred Monday afternoon as the woman responded to an ad on a Groveland community Facebook page offering excess dog food.
The Groveland woman said as she left, she was followed by the man, who allegedly “turned around multiple times in an obvious effort to follow her,” according to police.
Rather than pull into her own driveway, she pulled onto a side street and confronted the man, who left after another resident emerged from their home and told him to leave.
Police have identified the man and have interviewed him.
In a statement, Gillen said, “On a personal note, I have lived in this area for my entire life and have been a police officer here for more than 30 years. I have met many of the families in Groveland, including the victim’s family, and watched families grow here. I am deeply disturbed by this situation. The fact that a resident of our town could face accusation and be followed around like a criminal should make everyone stop in their tracks and consider how we treat one another. Our job as police officers is to not only keep people safe but also feel safe in Groveland, and we will aggressively investigate this situation and do everything we can do to ensure it is not repeated.”
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