Another helping of mystery meat surfaces in Framingham
(Photo courtesy of Chris Walsh)
By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff
The meat is back.
For the sixth week in a row, fresh-cut slabs of raw red meat were discovered in a pile beneath a tree in the Framingham Town Centre Common, deepening a mystery that has unnerved authorities and residents.
“There were some sort of cubed chunks of something or other, and a knee joint, or joint of some sort,” said Chris Walsh, who spied the meat this morning, on his way to work. “It just didn’t look very appetizing.”
Walsh said he called police, who came to inspect the meat, and then shipped it off to the state public health lab in Boston for testing. Hours later, town officials released a statement titled "Press Release Mystery Meat 11-25-08."
“Another placement of meat has been discovered on Framingham Town Centre Common,” read the statement, signed by the police chief, the town manager, and the town public health director. "It apparently occurred overnight.”
Town officials said they do not know where the meat is coming from, and have had little luck in tracking down leads. However, the newest dicovery of meat is clearly linked to the earlier meat sightings, said Ethan Mascoop, Framingham's public health director.
"It’s consistent in terms of weight of the last sample from the last meat drop-off,” he said.
Mascoop said he expects the state lab to release the results of its testing in the third week of December.
“I personally did not see it in situ,” Mascoop said of the meat. “It was packaged up for evidence."
Some residents worry that the meat is poisoned, and might be the work of someone trying to harm pets. But officials are urging the public to remain calm.
“As a reminder, there is no indication that this is posing any threat to public health or safety," town officials said in the statement. "Both the Police Department and the Board of Public Health are continuing to work together in investigating this matter.”
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It's clear now that someone needs to "steak-out" the area.
how about cameras? Did anyone think to put them around to see who is actually dumping this stuff?
ARE THEY SURE ITS NOT HUMAN,SERIAL KILLERS DO ALOT OF WEIRD THINGS
why can't they simply set up a camera and record what is happening there over the next week or so? this sounds so easy to do with technology today.
It must be contaminated and they whomever needs to be seriously punished for animal cruelity. PUNISH. These homeless stray animals are starving and some sicko is putting it there for them to eat and die. SICKOS
OK...
Let's hope it's just a sick joke or pranksters causing this unusual meat delivery. Could be worse....as in "human remains". Surely they've conducted tests to determine the origin, and whether it's man or beast...it shouldn't take this long to find out. It seems to me that lab or forensic test results could be obtained immediately and the townspeople won't have to wait until Christmas to learn who, what, where, when and why.
somebody really needs to get to the meat of the matter here!!
I THINK THE TOWN SHOULD JUST TOGETHER AND HOLD A BIG MEATING
I think that the most appropriate action would to make this more public and let everybody see it on t.v.
like maybe a show like : "Meat the Press"
HAS ANYONE BROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP AT THE LATEST TOWN "MEATING"?
Wow, that is disgusting. Can't they set up some cameras to catch the person? Also, in the phrase "the newest dicovery of meat " the word "discovery" is spelled wrong.
It is a ritual sacrifice. I lived in a Boston neighborhood and certain ethnic groups were forever sacrificing chickens, roosters, etc. in the local park.
It was really disgsuting and always a challenge to try and explain it to my kids.
"Mommy why is there a dead rooster claw next to the jungle gym?"
"Oh, honey, in some countries it's for good luck! Kind of like a horseshoe."
Come on people, no fun comments yet? I mean meat is being left outside. This is hard news. I love it. Who cares? I saw D&D cup full of coffee in a parking space in Waltham. Why is it there? Who knows? Who cares?
I suspect PETA.
Some sort of Santaria rite?
But kudos to Framingham officials for having a sense of humor about it.
How about placing some hidden cameras around the area where the meat is being dumped. The City of Lawrence caught people illegally dumping trash by using hidden cameras.
Hidden camera systems can be portable, so there is no need to permanently install them, and they can have night-vision capability to catch the person dumping the meat at night.
Or just post a policeman in an unmarked car near the Common at night.
Have they tried asking the cafeteria ladies to identify it?
This is just the work of a prankster. But the biggest joke is the media attention it receives. While you're worrying about animals being poisoned, you can go flush your toilet 5 times and take a warm hot shower. Oh yeah, save some native species, go Kill a feral cat! Oh, nice kitty........Mystery Meat Rules! Keep printing these stories and the meat will keep coming. Yes, I've really enjoyed all the attention this mystery meat has gotten, and I'm sure the person leaving the meat loves the attention also. Oh, I've got to go flush again...
The fact that people get scared is weird. We have more to worry about then prankster meat. meat in on the ground is nothing a joke. wasting any time with police, newspapers and or meeting is the Crime on tax payers.
Where are the potatoes?
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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