Police Report: Check Washing and Fraudulent Wire Transfers Cheat Residents Out of Almost $90K

On Jan. 9, a Putnam Road resident reported that a check, originally written at the end of December, had been stolen and altered. The perpetrator was able to cash the check fro $18,000, creating a financial loss for the resident.

A business owner on Spencer Place reported being a victim of identity theft and check fraud. A business check issued on Nov. 30 had been intercepted, altered through “check washing” and fraudulently cashed for $9,925.13. The business owner reported the matter to the bank.

A Carman Road man reported a fraudulent wire transfer resulted in approximately $14,000 being transferred out of his bank account Jan. 12.

Later a Carman Road resident reported a fraudulent wire transfer of money out of her account totaling approximately $38,000.

On Feb. 13, a Ridgecrest North woman reported someone stole a check from her bank account, forged it and fraudulently cashed it for $8,260.

Arrested
On Jan. 13, Scarsdale police detectives arrested Julio C. Sosa, 26, of the Bronx, on the strength of a bench warrant issued out of Scarsdale Village Justice Court in October 2022 for failing to appear in court on undisclosed charges. The arrest occurred after Scarsdale police were notified that New York City police, in Manhattan, had picked up Sosa on an unrelated matter and had him at their booking station. At the time of Sosa’s arrest, Scarsdale police confirmed that there was an additional active arrest warrant issued by Westchester County police. Therefore, following, Sosa’s arraignment in Scarsdale, Scarsdale police released Sosa to Westchester County. Sosa was ordered to appear again at Scarsdale Village Justice Court on Jan. 18. According to the arrest report, Sosa has a criminal history of previous arrests and warrants in Mount Vernon and the New York City.

Attempted Burglary
A Murray Hill Road man reported his back sliding glass door had been smashed in Jan. 12. Nothing was reported stolen. The evidence indicated an incident of attempted burglary.

Identity theft
On Jan. 12, a Popham Road bank employee reported a man fraudulently trying to cash a check with a fake driver’s license. He was described as a white man in his 60s, with a ponytail and a blue and gray checkered shirt. The bank employee immediately identified the driver’s license as fake. At that time, the man left the bank without conducting any business.

Car break-in
On Jan. 9, a Birchall Drive resident reported that someone entered his parked car overnight and rummaged through the car’s contents. Nothing was reported stolen.

On Jan. 15, a Gorham Road man reported that two fraudulent credit applications were made in his name, with his personal identifying information. The applications were denied.

Domestic matter
On Jan. 13, a girl called police because of a verbal dispute with her mother. The girl’s parents told police the dispute was related to an ongoing discipline issue. The girl told police she called 911 due to a “knee-jerk” reaction related to arguing with her mother.

Package
On Jan. 9, a Rural Drive resident reported receiving a children’s toy by mail that the resident never ordered. Police advised the resident she could dispose of the item if she did not want to keep it.

Suspicious
On Jan. 10, an Eastwoods Road man reported seeing an Amazon driver stopped in front of Edgewood School, eating lunch and using his phone – possibly taking pictures of people on the playground on Saturday Jan. 7. Police advised the man to notify Amazon directly and to also alert police immediately about any future suspicious behavior.

A Barry Road resident reported receiving threatening phone calls from an out-of-state caller Jan. 10.

Cars and roadways
On Jan. 9, a Verizon employee reported difficulty entering a driveway due to parked cars on the street.

Police closed a section of Church Lane because of a water main break Jan. 10.

Con Edison was notified about a low-hanging wire on Greenacres Avenue Jan. 10.

Police provided a truck driver with directions from Weaver Street to the I-95 highway Jan. 10.

A car was found parked with its lights on, on Cooper Road Jan. 10. Police notified the owner who said she was en route to turn off the lights.

On Jan. 10, police observed a yellow box truck fail to maintain its position in the right lane on Post Road. Police conducted a traffic stop and discovered the rear temporary Georgia license plate attached to the truck was fraudulent. Additionally, the driver –a 42-year-old Yonkers man – could not produce a valid insurance card. Police impounded the truck and issued the driver summonses for operation of a motor vehicle with improper plates, operation of a motor vehicle without insurance and moving from a lane unsafely.

On Jan. 11, police issued a 35-year-old Othello, WA, driver summonses for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and speeding in a school zone. The summonses were issued following a traffic stop initiated after police observed the driver’s black Dodge Caravan travelling on Mamaroneck Road at 35 mph in a 15 mph zone.

On Jan. 11, police issued a 31-year-old Danbury, CT, driver summonses for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, operation of a motor vehicle by an unlicensed driver, operation of a motor vehicle without valid insurance, and lamp related equipment violations. The misdemeanor and infractions were discovered during a traffic stop on Post Road that police initiated after observing the driver’s white Mazda pass patrol’s car without any operable tail lamps or rear license plate lamps.

Con Edison was notified about a low-hanging wire on Mamaroneck and Murray Hill roads Jan. 13.

Police conducted a traffic stop of a red Suzuki Grand Vitara traveling north without a functioning driver’s side headlight on Post Road Jan. 13. A check of the 28-year-old White Plains driver’s license indicated the driver was driving without a valid license. Police issued him summonses for aggravated unlicensed driving, operation of a motor vehicle by an unlicensed driver and an equipment violation.

On Jan. 13, police reported a low-hanging communications wire of Cayuga Road to the appropriate company, for repair.

Patrol removed errant Christmas trees from Murray Hill Road and Boulevard Jan. 13.

The occupants of a parked car in front of Hyatt Field stated they had pulled over to talk Jan. 15.

On Jan. 15, police observed a 48-year-old New York City driver fail to use a turn signal while making a right turn from Crane Road onto Woodland Place. Police conducted a traffic stop. After running the car’s license plate, police learned that the car’s registration was both expired and suspended. The car’s license plates were then removed and taken into evidence by police. The car was towed to the owner’s apartment building and left in a private driveway. The driver was issued the following summonses by police: operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended registration, operation of an unregistered motor vehicle on a highway and failure to signal for a turn.

One car accident was officially reported in the Village this week.

Civil matter
On Jan. 11, a Lyons Road resident reported that a contractor, whom he fired, was back at his property. The resident said he secretly watched the contractor then leave the scene. Police offered to perform extra ridebys of the property.

Animals
Police suggested that a Brookline Road woman call a trapper because she was concerned about a raccoon in her back yard woodpile Jan. 9.

A loose, white dog was reported to be running through Olmsted Road properties Jan. 9. Police went to the location and saw a dog owner attempting to catch his dog that had broken free from its leash. Police helped the owner catch his dog and reunited the pair. The owner was reportedly covered in mud and soaking wet from trying to catch his dog in the rain. Police gave the owner a verbal warning about having dogs at large, and police provided the owner and dog with a courtesy ride home.

A Palmer Avenue woman reported that there was a dead animal in her yard Jan. 10. She asked for police to help remove the carcass. She also reported “strange things were happening to her.”

Neighbors complained about barking dogs on Heathcote Road Jan. 10. Police contacted the dogs’ owner who said he would be coming home shortly. In the meantime, police issued a summons for violation of Village code.

Lost and found
On Jan. 10, a man reported losing his iPhone at a Scarsdale Avenue location. He later called his phone and an unknown person answered. The person claimed to have found the phone on the roof of his car.

A Scarsdale library employee on Olmsted Road found a wallet and gave it to police Jan. 11. Using driver’s license information, police contacted the owner and returned the property.

On Jan. 13, a mother reported her son lost his wallet containing $50 cash on Scarsdale Avenue.

Firefighters
Firefighters notified Con Edison about fallen wires of Greenacres Avenue Jan. 10.

On Jan. 11, police and firefighters evacuated a Brite Avenue house and stood by for Con Edison.

Firefighters assisted with an injured hiker in a wooded area of Saxon Woods Park Jan. 11. The hiker was treated for a head injury on the scene and removed by an all terrain vehicle to an ambulance waiting on the road.

Contractors using a gas-powered saw in an Axtell Drive basement triggered a carbon monoxide alarm. Firefighters ventilated the house and stopped work for the day because the CO levels had been dangerously high. One worker was evaluated on scene and refused medical attention. Firefighters cautioned worker on the dangers of gas-powered equipment, and they also informed the homeowner.

On Jan. 13, firefighters assisted at a car accident on the Hutchinson River Parkway.

On Jan. 13, firefighters helped a Boulevard resident het back inside the house after being accidentally locked outside.

On Jan. 13, firefighters assisted Hartsdale fire department at a dumpster fire in their jurisdiction.

On Jan. 14, firefighters ventilated a Hanover Road garage that was found to have an elevated level of carbon monoxide due to a recently parked car.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Jan. 9-15 has been compiled from official information.

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