Police Report: Strange Calls and Family Fights

Domestic matters: On Jan. 30, a man reported receiving unwanted messages from his ex-wife.

On Jan. 31, a daughter called police because her father was allegedly acting "belligerent" after an argument. The father told police his daughter had been very loud and had been calling her mother names since the previous day. When the father tried to talk to his daughter, she allegedly refused to listen to him and called police instead. Patrol helped mediate the dispute and left when all was in good order.

On Feb. 1, a woman called 911 alleging her husband was being verbally abusive and slammed a door during an argument. The woman then drove to headquarters to speak with police. There she said she dialed 911 as a scare tactic, in the hope of avoiding continued conversation with her husband. She apologized for misusing 911 services, and police informed her about other available services.

Phone threats, harassment
A Quaker Ridge boy received a call from an unknown man claiming the boy's mother owed a $1,000 loan Jan. 26. The boy said he was a child and knew nothing about the loan. The man responded by saying if the loan was not paid off, the boy's family would be killed. The boy hung up and called police. Police traced the man's number to an address in Florida. They advised the boy and his mother that the call was most likely an attempt to scam money. Patrol told the boy and his mother to contact the police department if they receive other similar calls.

On Feb. 1, a Quaker Ridge woman reported receiving two harassing phone calls from an unknown male caller. The caller said, "I heard from [your neighbor] you like to be dominated in the basement." The woman immediately hung up the phone, but the caller called back. The woman told him she was contacting police, and he responded by threatening to "hurt her and her family in the basement" if she contacted police. Police traced the phone number and called it. A Brooklyn woman answered the phone and denied making the calls. She said her boyfriend's 15-year-old friend had been at her house earlier that day and had borrowed her cell phone. She said the boy was no longer at her house, and she did not know his whereabouts. She then hung up the phone and did not answer patrol's calls. Police checked the Quaker Ridge woman's house and offered tips about enhancing security.

Harassed jogger
On Jan. 29, a female jogger reported a man repeatedly harasses her while she is running on Fenimore Road. The most recent incident occurred on Jan. 25, when the woman was approaching the intersection with Brewster Road. There, the man, who was jogging in the opposite direction, allegedly said, "You ... Are you stupid? Get off the middle of my road." Earlier in December, the man allegedly made similar comments as they encountered each other jogging. The woman asked police to document the incident in case the situation escalates.

Housekeeper arrested after stealing $50 from employer
On Jan. 26, a Tisdale Road resident reported a $50 bill was stolen from her wallet while inside her house. She said the bill was in her wallet before a cleaning service arrived at her house, and the bill was missing after the cleaners left. She said money has also disappeared from her husband's and son's wallets over the past month, and she believes their money also disappeared during times when the cleaners were in the house. The woman advised police she would no longer use the cleaning service. Detectives investigating the incident scheduled an interview with the cleaners, including Jenny Illescas, 33, of White Plains, on Jan. 27. During the interview, Illescas admitted to stealing $50 from the resident's wallet on Jan. 26. She denied taking money or property from the house on other occasions. Police subsequently charged Illescas with petit larceny. She was booked and released on her own recognizance, with an appearance ticket for Village Justice Court on Feb. 18.

Stolen shield
On Jan. 28, a White Plains man reported his New York City Veterans Police shield was stolen from the back bumper of his 1998 Ford Explorer parked in the Wilgrin parking lot on Jan. 19. The 8"x4" bronze shield had been attached to the car's bumper with a bolt, he said.

Identity theft
On Jan. 30, a Crossway woman reported someone attempted to withdraw "a large sum of money" from her Chase Bank account. The attempt occurred at a Florida bank, where an unknown woman was posing as the legitimate account holder. The teller became suspicious of the identification provided to her, and at that point, the suspect fled the bank. The woman said Chase bank closed her accounts and opened new ones. In addition, she filed a fraud alert with the credit reporting agencies.

Unusual calls
On Jan. 31, a Bradley Road man said his wife received several calls over the last few days in which an unknown caller asked for his wife by name and then hung up without saying anything else. At the time one of the calls was received, a white sedan was parked outside the couple's house. The couple believed that, while it could have been a coincidence, the presence of the car was odd. Police advised the couple to notify headquarters if they receive more hang-up calls.

Confused
On Jan. 29, an Edgewood resident reported cash was stolen from his home while he was sleeping the previous night. He said he believed the perpetrator had keys to his house and used sleeping gas on him. While questioning the man, it became clear he was suffering from dementia. There were no facts to back up the man's story, and details of the story kept changing. Patrol attempted to notify the man's daughter but were unable to reach her.

Where's my car?
A woman called police because she thought her car had been stolen from the HSBC Bank parking lot at Popham and Overhill roads Jan. 27. Police helped her find the car, which was actually parked on Scarsdale Avenue.

Too cold
A person called police after voluntarily leaving her Heathcote Road house at 6:15 p.m., Jan. 31. She said it was too cold for her to wait outside for a ride from a friend, and she had no money for a taxi. Police drove her to headquarters where she could use a telephone and wait for her friend in a warm building. The person called a friend and made arrangements to take a train to New York City and meet the friend there. Police escorted the person to the Scarsdale train station. Police offered to provide contact information for a Social Services agency or drive the person to a housing shelter, but she declined.

Scofflaw
On Jan. 28, the parking enforcement officer noticed a 2008 Ford involved with scofflaw incidents parked on Boniface Circle. The officer issued a ticket for an expired meter and called Village Justice Court to confirm the car's scofflaw status. A court clerk confirmed the car's registered owner had 19 open parking tickets and owed $1,950 in fines. Patrol called the police department's duty tow and had the car towed to the police impound lot in Mamaroneck. Patrol contacted the owner of the car, a 29-year-old Mahopac woman, and told her to follow up with Village Justice Court regarding the outstanding fines and the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles regarding the suspended status of her license and registration.

Cars and roadways
An illegally parked scooter on Depot Place was impeding snow removal efforts Jan. 29. Patrol unsuccessfully attempted to contact the scooter's registered owner, and patrol issued the owner a parking ticket.

On Jan. 30, police issued a parking ticket to the owner of a car parked on Freightway because the car was blocking the passage of snowplows.

Five car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Civil matter
On Jan. 31, a Ridgecrest West man told police he and his neighbor were involved in a civil matter involving a cat. Police advised the man that civil matters are not police matters and must be resolved through a civil process.

Lost and found
An electrician found an iPad near a Murray Hill Road construction site and gave it to police Jan. 26.

Police tracked down the owner of a cell phone left at the high school track Jan. 27. The owner successfully answered questions about the phone to confirm his ownership, and he picked it up from headquarters.

On Jan. 28, a Tompkins Road woman reported losing her wallet somewhere near her house. A few hours later, she called headquarters to cancel the report. She found the wallet in her driveway.

A passerby found a wallet near the intersection of Boulevard and Gaylor Road and gave it to police Jan. 29.

On Jan. 31, a person found a set of car keys on Dobbs Terrace, tied the keys to a nearby white car and notified police. Police spoke with the owner of the car to which the keys were tied and learned the keys did not belong to that person. Using a CVS tag attached to the keys, police contacted the owner of the keys. She thanked police for finding the keys and said she or her husband would come to headquarters to pick up the keys on Feb. 2.

On Jan. 31, a passerby found a pocketbook on Greenacres Avenue and brought it to Hitchcock Church. A church employee then brought the purse to headquarters. Police looked in the purse for identifying information and contacted the owner, a Greenacres Avenue resident, to inform her that her purse had been found.

On Feb. 1, a Walworth Avenue woman reported her son lost his $400 clarinet at Scarsdale Middle School. The last time he saw the clarinet was after a band concert on Jan. 14.

Fire on train tracks
Police witnessed an explosion on the Metro North railroad tracks near the south side of the platform at Scarsdale train station Jan. 29. Dispatch informed the fire department and the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Police stood by and assisted as needed. According to the fire department's report, the fire was caused when "the third rail shorted to the ground, burning through a steel mount plate." Once MTA workers shut power to the rails, the fire self extinguished. Firefighters stood by and assisted as needed.

Fire
A Sage Terrace resident reported a gasoline odor in her basement Jan. 26. The cause was probably a gasoline spill down a Brewster Road drain the previous day. As per health department recommendations, firefighters ran water down the drains in the Sage Terrace house until the odor dissipated.

Lint was smoking in a Carthage Road dryer Jan. 26. Firefighters shut off the dryer, removed the lint and advised the homeowner to call for service.

A burning odor was coming from a washing machine in a Broadmoor Road house Jan. 26. Firefighters confirmed there was no fire, unplugged the washing machine and advised the homeowner to call for service.

On Jan. 27, firefighters helped a Vanderbilt Road resident get back in her house after she was accidentally locked out. The next day, on Jan. 28, firefighters helped a Boulevard resident get back in her house after she was also accidentally locked out.

Con Edison discovered a gas leak under the street at Boulevard and Webster Road Jan. 29. Firefighters helped Con Edison workers check manholes and 12 nearby houses for possible gas infiltration. Firefighters stood by until released by Con Edison.

A Barry Road resident reported a light switch sparked when used Jan. 30. Firefighters checked the house and found no more sparking switches, arcing wires or burning odors. They advised the resident to hire an electrician to change the switches.

Firefighters helped Con Edison workers check three houses on Church Lane South, Popham Road and Elmdorf Road for possible gas infiltration related to a gas leak in the area Jan. 30.

A smoke odor in a Brewster Road house was caused by a malfunctioning gas-firedburner Jan. 31. Firefighters shut gas to the unit and advised the homeowner to call for service.

A citizen complained about overcrowding at Chat restaurant on Christie Place Jan. 31. Firefighters checked the restaurant. They observed it was busy and full, but it was not overcrowded in a dangerous way. They advised the manager to open curtains placed in front of one of the exit doors to make the doors visible, as per safety code.

Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the sites of four natural gas leaks at street valve boxes on Richbell Road Feb. 1.

An oil burner malfunctioned in a Franklin Road house Feb. 1. Firefighters shut down the unit and advised the homeowner to call for service.

Firefighters called Con Edison to check a gas pressure regulator making a "buzzing" noise in a Pinecrest Road house Feb.1.

This week, firefighters assisted at one car accident in the village. They responded to 12 false fire or heat alarms caused by device malfunction, excessive dust, cooking smoke and fireplace smoke.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 was compiled from official information.

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