Boston Blotter: Your Tree Air Fresheners Aren't Helping

--Pot has a distinctive odor. Some describe the scent as that of burning leaves, or socks aflame. Either way, the scent of marijuana is powerful, and very little can cover it up.

However, two perps tried valiantly to hide the smell of their weed from the BPD by keeping "over 30 tree air fresheners" in their vehicle. It didn't help. K-9s and officers found a bag of pot in the guys' glove compartment after and three bags in a secret ceiling compartment they noticed the car driving erratically.

Can you imagine what that must have smelled like? Country Pine, Green Apple, New Car, and Magic Herb? Ugh!

--A man was shot late yesterday afternoon on Elm Hill Avenue. While trying to make a getaway, three assailants nearly struck security officers with their vehicle. Police finally tracked the car down on Shawmut, upon which the driver took off and was later found cowering in a Dumpster. All three were arrested, and the victim is in the hospital.

--A Beverly man named John Orlowski tried to hire a hitman to wipe out his ex-wife, his mother-in-law, and his own 7-year-old daughter. The prospective hitman had some understandable ethical qualms when it came to killing the child, so he told his mom, which resulted in his wearing a wire and Orlowski getting arrested before anyone got hurt.

--A drunk driver on the Cape was going the wrong way on the road when she plowed into a Sandwich police officer last night. The officer stopped her all right, but he sustained some injuries.

Image of a Magic Tree from halfords.com.