Stranger Approaches Wildwood Road Boy and More from the Scarsdale Police

A Wildwood Road mother called police to report that, while playing lacrosse in the front yard, her son was approached by an unknown man driving a white van April 21. According to the boy, the man was Hispanic, approximately 35-50 years old, with a short blond "buzz cut," a goatee that did not fully cover his chin, a medium build, a small nose and a Spanish accent. The man's van allegedly pulled up to where the boy was playing, and the man asked the boy if he wanted pizza – and "if so, to get in the van." The boy told the man "no," ran into his house and reported the incident to his mother. The man drove away by turning left onto Palmer Avenue. The boy said he did not recognize the man; nor had he previously seen the van. The van was described as "dirty," with no side windows except the passenger door window. The boy also noticed multiple dents on the passenger side panel. Police canvassed the neighborhood but did not find the man or the van. Police urged the boy and his parents to report any future suspicious activity and to contact headquarters if they see the suspect or the van again.

Woman arrested in fake check scam
Three attempts to cash fraudulent checks at local banks resulted in the arrest of one suspect – Denisha Monique Wright, 21, of the Bronx – on charges of second-degree possession of a forged instrument (a felony) and petit larceny, April 20. The first reported incident occurred around 2:30 p.m., April 20, at Wells Fargo bank on Chase Road. A teller and a manager told police a man attempted to cash a check in the amount of $625 but was turned away because he did not have two forms of proper identification. He was described as an 18-21 year old black man, with a short style haircut and a possible Mohawk. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants tucked into Michael Jordan high-top sneakers. The man told the teller he did not want to open an account at Wells Fargo but instead banked with Chase. He left the bank and was seen getting into a white Honda Accord.
A few minutes later, another young man with a similar description entered the same bank and attempted to cash a check for $690. The check was written against the same account as the $625 check brought in by the first man. The manager and teller each said the two men looked like brothers, and they possibly presented the same ID card to bank personnel. The teller and manager did not cash the second check due to the stated reason that the customer did not have enough funds in her account. The man left the bank and was seen getting in to the same white Honda Accord before it drove away. The bank manager contacted the customer whose name was on the checks. She confirmed the checks were fraudulent and said the only pending check on her account had been written to Petco.
Bank employees had written down the Honda's license plate number, and they gave it to police. A computer check of the car's registration identified the car as a 1998 Honda Accord owned by a Mount Vernon resident.
At 3:15 p.m., April 20, an employee of The Bank of America, on Wilmot Road, reported a man attempted to cash a fraudulent check. He was described as a black man, approximately 6ft-3in tall, 230-250 pounds, wearing a multicolored shirt, a baseball hat and white headphones in his ears. He presented a check for $749.50, but the teller became suspicious of the signature and "the way the man was acting." Following up on the teller's suspicions, the manager called the account holder, who confirmed the check was fraudulent. The bank manager took the suspect's ID card and copied it for police. He tried to delay the suspect's departure; however, he was not successful, and the suspect left the bank. The suspect was seen getting into the rear passenger seat of a white Honda Accord with dark tinted windows – the same car noted in the previous incident. The manger said he noticed three other people in the car, all of whom appeared to be black men.
At 4:10 p.m., April 20, a woman, later identified as Denisha Wright, came into the Wells Fargo Bank on Chase Road and attempted to cash a personal check in the amount of $691.33. This check was written against the same account as the fraudulent checks from earlier that day. Based on manager's conversation with the account holder, it was clear this check was also fraudulent. The teller asked the woman for two forms of identification while police were called. Patrol entered the bank and approached the woman. When questioned by patrol, she admitted to trying to cash a check. She further stated she had received the check from a friend, in exchange for providing unspecified services. The woman told police if there was a problem with the check, she would go to another bank. At that time, police detained the woman by placing her in handcuffs. She was read her Miranda rights and taken to headquarters for arrest processing. She was arraigned at Scarsdale Village Justice Court, where bail was set at $1,000 cash or $2,500 bond. Unable to post bail, she was taken to Westchester County Jail.

Employee arrested for stealing cash from Learning Express
On April 21, police arrested Crystal Carino, 31, of the Bronx, on charges of fourth-degree grand larceny. Carino is accused of stealing $2,823.49 from her place of employment, Learning Express, on Spencer Place. She stole this money by creating fake transactions involving alleged cash returns, in which she kept the cash. During a scheduled interview at police headquarters, Marino confessed to the crime. When asked about her motive, she said, "My fiancé wasn't working, and I needed extra cash." She went on to explain that she had no money, and when asked if she had money for bail, she advised, "I actually have to go to court to try and pay my rent off, either that or I'm going to get evicted." After concluding the interview, Marino's arrest was processed on charges of fourth-degree grand larceny. She was released on her own recognizance and issued an appearance ticket to return to court on April 29.

Car break-ins
A Brite Avenue couple reported items missing from two cars parked in their driveway overnight April 20. They said they parked their cars but did not lock them at 9:30 p.m., April 20. At 10 a.m., April 21, the wife noticed the following items missing from her 2012 Ford: a black iPod, a phone charger, a pink purse and about five dollars in coins. The husband drove his 2014 Volkswagen to work and noticed items missing when he reached into the backseat to get them. Specifically, a laptop computer and his work ID tag were missing from a bag in the backseat.

Stolen cell phone
A 15-year-old Nelson Road student reported his iPhone was stolen from his unattended backpack, left at tennis practice at Scarsdale High School April 26. The iPhone showed a ping in the area of Newburgh, New York, via Apple's location app.

Identity theft
On April 20, a Kent Road woman reported someone opened a debit card in her name. She learned about it when she received the debit card in the mail. She called the issuing bank, reported the card as fraudulent and cancelled it. No financial loss was incurred.

Fraudulent tax returns
On April 21, a Wayside Lane woman reported someone filed a fraudulent tax return in her name, using her Social Security number. She learned about it after receiving an unexpected refund check for $9,000 April 20.
On April 21, a Wynmor Road resident reported someone filed a fraudulent tax return in her name, using her Social Security number.
On April 22, a Franklin Road man reported someone filed a fraudulent tax return in his name, using his Social Security number.
On April 24, a Lockwood Road man reported someone filed a fraudulent tax return in his name, using his Social Security number.
On April 26, a Corell Road man reported someone filed a fraudulent tax return in his name, using his Social Security number.

Criminal mischief
A Reynal Crossing resident reported a young white man – in his twenties, with long unkempt hair and wearing aviator style sunglasses – was banging on his front door, wielding a hammer, shortly before 10 a.m., April 23. The young man shouted. "Tell [name undisclosed] to leave me alone." As the young man drove away, the resident noted his license plate number, which police later traced to a Scarsdale resident. Before police arrived at the Reynal Crossing house, the resident's son came home. The son said he had previously been friends with the young man, but they have not had any contact in the past three years. The son allegedly broke off the friendship when the young man began to "smoke a lot of marijuana and display abnormal behavior." Police photographed damage caused to the door. The resident said he did not want to press charges against the young man. Instead, he hoped the young man would "seek medical attention for his ongoing problems."
Sometime between 3 p.m., April 22, and 7:45 a.m., April 24, a 2009 Acura was vandalized while parked in a Secor Road driveway. Both passenger side tires were damaged, and illegible lettering was scratched into the rear passenger side fender.

Harassment
A Fox Meadow man reported his wife's half brother was sending him unwanted text messages April 23. The man and his half brother-in-law were in a dispute involving a house that had belonged to the man's father-in-law before the father-in-law recently passed away. Questions of legal ownership, access and possessions were being discussed through the assistance of a lawyer. Police saw the allegedly harassing text messages and noted they did not contain anything criminal in nature. The man did not want police to contact his wife's half brother. He just wanted to document the unwanted messages.

Job solicitation
On April 22, a woman was looking for possible work as a home health aide on Rectory Lane. She said she heard about a possible job from a friend and wanted to speak with the person directly. Patrol advised her she may not solicit work door to door. Patrol explained the proper channels by which she could look for work.

Star gazing
A custodian reported a suspicious Toyota parked at the rear of Quaker Ridge School at 10 p.m., April 24. The custodian said he saw kids running around the school and was unsure if they were trying to get inside. Patrol arrived and found a girl and two friends sitting on a blanket looking at stars. Since school grounds are off limits after dark, patrol asked the girls to leave.

Garage door
The garage door of a Claremont Road house mysteriously opened at 11:30 p.m., April 24, and the resident heard noises in her garage. Patrol checked the perimeter of the house and yard. A back yard gate was ajar, but patrol found no sign of attempted entry or criminality.

Doorbell
A Tompkins Road homeowner reported someone rang his doorbell at 11 p.m., April 25. When the homeowner went to the door, no one was there. The homeowner advised he saw a car driving away, heading north on Tompkins Road. Police checked the perimeter of the house and the surrounding area, and they found nothing suspicious.

Cars and roadways
At 2:15 a.m., April 20, police drove a Wakefield Road couple home in inclement weather after their car became disabled on Crane Road.

Police informed a White Road woman that her Honda was partially submerged under water in the vicinity of Sprague and Wilmot roads April 20. The owner said she was aware of the condition and had already contacted an auto service company to remove it.

Police issued a noise summons to the driver of a Dodge Caravan who honked her horn at another driver on Post Road for no apparent reason April 21.

A driver ran out of gas on Post Road at 6:20 a.m., April 22. Police stood by while a local gas station employee assisted her.

Police contacted the highway department and Con Edison about a fallen tree and tangled electrical wires on Brookby Road April 23.

Police removed a fallen wire from Weaver Street and contacted the utility company April 24.

Patrol advised the water department of water bubbling up from a Southwoods Lane yard and from underneath Church Lane curbstone April 24.

After patrol showed up on Hampton Road, the drivers of several illegally parked cars promptly moved their vehicles April 24.

Seven car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Dogs
Police picked up a loose Golden Retriever on Heathcote Road April 21. The animal control officer contacted the owner and held the dog at headquarters until the owner picked it up. The owner was issued a village code violation summons.

While walking on Normandy Lane, a man was allegedly bitten by a black dog, which he described as a "standard poodle" April 25. The man told police he followed the dog and its owner onto Weaver Street, where he soon lost sight of them. The dog's owner was described as a man with white hair, wearing a black jacket. The dog was leashed at the time of the bite. Police found the dog's owner, who admitted his dog "jumped" on the other man, but he thought the dog did not bite the man. Since the man's hand was gloved at the time of the bite, police advised that the bite might not have been immediately apparent. Examination showed lacerations and bite marks on the victim's hand and upper thigh. The owner proved the dog's vaccines were up to date. The victim refused medical attention, and police urged him to contact his physician.

Lost and found
A passerby reported finding an iPad and three pieces of paper printed with Bible quotes on Whig Road April 21. Police vouchered the items at headquarters.

A resident reported losing his birth certificate and Social Security card on East Parkway April 21.

On April 21, a Fox Meadow Road mother reported her son's backpack, containing a wallet, was either lost or stolen at Scarsdale Middle School. Later, she called police to say the backpack had been recovered.

A boy lost his iPhone and tracked it to a Board of Education vehicle parked at the Scarsdale sanitation yard April 23. The vehicle was locked because it was after working hours. Patrol provided the boy's father with a telephone number for follow-up with the Board of Education.

A Carman Road woman reported losing her national ID card from France somewhere in the village April 25.

A Walworth Avenue homeowner reported finding a computer printer nestled in bushes on her property April 26. He told police the printer appeared new, and he wanted to alert police in case someone was looking for it.

Noise
Police advised contractors on Garden Road to refrain from working with power tools until 10 a.m., Saturday, April 25.

Following neighbors' noise complaints, police spoke to a parent supervising a youth party at the corner of Penn Boulevard and Weaver Street at 10 p.m., April 25. The parent promised to keep the noise level low at his daughter's party.

Open flame
A Sage Terrace resident called police because he was concerned about the safety of his neighbor's barbecue grill April 22. He alleged the grill was in violation of village fire code because of its open flame in proximity to the neighbor's house. Patrol and firefighters checked the safety of the grill and assured everything was in good order and did not violate fire code.

Fire
Firefighters helped a Cohawney Road homeowner get back in her house after she accidentally got locked outside April 21.

Firefighters called Con Edison to check a Donellan Road boiler after the resident's carbon monoxide detector activated in the house April 21. Firefighters did not detect any carbon monoxide with their meters.

An odor in a Brewster Road basement was determined to be caused by cleaning products or paint April 21.

Firefighters closed a section of Brite Avenue while Con Edison repaired a house service line April 21. The service line had burnt and fallen away from the house before firefighters arrived on scene.

An overhead lighting fixture was releasing a burning odor in a Walworth Avenue house April 21. Firefighters shut down the fixture and advised the homeowner to refrain from using it until an electrician made repairs.

Firefighters helped Oxford Road homeowners get back in their house after they accidentally got locked outside April 21.
A falling tree limb struck a Brookby Road street light, causing it to bend and bring down a high tension electrical wire April 23. Firefighters stood by to maintain a safety and direct traffic. Con Edison made repairs, and highway workers cleaned up the street.

Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a possible natural gas leak in a Cooper Road pool house April 24. Con Edison determined the pressure regulator was missing a necessary vent to the outside, and workers red-tagged the gas service to the pool house. The homeowner was advised to call a plumber.

Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a possible natural gas leak in front of a Heathcote Road house April 26.

Firefighters were called about an odorless sheen from an unknown substance first noticed in a Murray Hill Road stream April 26. The sheen was also seen in the stream as it extended behind houses on Ross and Bethel roads. Firefighters noted a construction site on Bethel Road, but they could not determine if it was the source of the sheen. While investigating, the sheen disappeared.

This week, firefighters assisted at one car accident in the village. They responded to one false carbon monoxide alarm and 16 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, cooking smoke, shower steam, spray painting and changing batteries.

This report covering police and fire department activity from April 20-26 was compiled from official information.

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