Police Report a Rash of Home Break-ins and Ask Residents to be Vigilant

Police are reporting an increase in burglaries this week in Scarsdale. According to Captain Thomas Altizio, the burglaries here match patterns of similar incidents in Bronxville, Rye, Rye Brook and Greenwich where they are also reporting an increase in home break-ins. He believes they may be a result of the time change that brings darkness at 5 pm and the need for money for the upcoming holidays.

One group of incidents involves burglars who climb up and enter through a second floor window. On the night of November 10th a burglar piled up the outdoor lawn furniture, forced open a second story window and climbed inside a home on Tory Lane in Fox Meadow. After the alarm went off, the suspect tried to flee and police suspect that he/she fell onto a patio table and broke it. It does not appear that anything was taken. Captain Altizio surmises that the suspect is small, fit and agile. He also said that the home looked to be unoccupied because there was mail and newspapers piled up in front.

Another burglary took place at 7 pm on Hillview Road off Crossway on November 10. This incident matches another pattern of "smash and grab" burglars who enter the house by breaking a rear window or sliding glass door and entering through the door frame. Though police arrived in 3-4 minutes, the suspect(s) had already fled with jewelry and police could not locate them.

On November 8, after returning home from a weekend in New Paltz, a Clarence Road couple found their house had been burglarized. An unlocked window was the point of entry and exit. Drawers in the master bedroom had been emptied, and the contents of the drawers were scattered on the floor. The couple estimated approximately $150,000 in jewelry and watches had been stolen.

On November 7, a Church Lane South man returned home from his apartment in New York City to find two rear second-floor windows of his house damaged. The windows showed pry marks and were damaged in someone's attempt to enter the house. Additionally, a ladder normally stored in the garage had been removed and was found in close proximity to the windows. The man said the ladder could be accessed from the garage only by using a code on a door keypad. Police are investigating the people who have access to the garage keypad code.

The Scarsdale Police are working with other area police departments that have been experiencing the same burglary patterns as well as the Westchester County District Attorney's Office Intelligence Center to develop suspect information based upon the pooled information on burglary suspects and patterns in the lower Westchester area. They are deploying increased marked patrol units and undercover unmarked units. They regularly use mobile Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) in areas experiencing burglaries and look for any available video sources that could assist in their investigations. All of our burglaries remain open and active investigations by the Detective Division.

In order to prevent burglaries, police are making the following recommendations to residents to secure their homes:

• Make your home appear occupied. Leave lights or televisions on timers when you are out.
• Use motion sensing exterior lighting and keep the perimeter of your home well lighted.
• Make your home more difficult to enter by increasing exterior security.
• Don't allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or flyers to build up while you are away. Arrange with the Post Office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or neighbor to collect them regularly.
• Always turn your alarm system on when you are away.
• Keep all exterior doors locked, using deadbolt locks. Keep your garage door
• closed and locked.
• Always lock your vehicle whether it is parked on the street or your driveway.
• Do not leave valuable possessions in view, especially electronic and GPS
• devices.
• Be an observant neighbor. Immediately notify the police of any suspicious activity in your neighborhood

DWI
On Nov. 5 police arrested Denise Velasquez, age 50 of Rye Brook, on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense). Velasquez's car was stopped on Weaver Street, with Velasquez asleep at the wheel, when police responded to a call about a possibly disabled vehicle at approximately 10 p.m. Police woke up Velasquez, and she said she was coming from White Plains, where she admitted to having consumed a glass of wine. She told police that she thought she was in White Plains, and later she thought she was in Rye Brook. Patrol asked her to step out of her car to perform field sobriety tests. She said she first had to remove her shoes and pantyhose, which she did and got out of her car with bare feet. She was unsteady on her feet, and she was unable to pass field sobriety tests. A pre-screening breath test confirmed the presence of alcohol on her breath. Velasquez was arrested and taken to headquarters. There she made two calls to her boyfriend but kept asking to call him again because she did not remember the calls. She refused to take an official blood alcohol content test. While searching her car, officers found a coffee mug containing wine in the front seat. She said she was under a doctor's care for depression. Following arrest processing, Velasquez was released on her own recognizance with an appearance ticket for Scarsdale Village Justice Court.

Identity theft
On Nov. 5, a Carthage Lane man reported someone used his name to get money out of a Chase Charitable Foundation account. The total loss was $11,500.

On Nov. 7, a Church Lane man reported someone had applied for credit from Wells Fargo Bank in his name. The request, however, had been denied. The man learned about it when he received letters from Wells Fargo regarding the application. He informed the bank the application was fraudulent.

Scam
On Nov. 8, a Wynmor Road man received a fake letter, allegedly from Chase Bank, informing him he had an outstanding balance of $5,358.92 with a company called "Sono Electrical Supply." The man said he had never done business with that company. The letter advised the man to make payments to a company called Chase Paymentech. The man said he does not even bank with Chase Bank.

Unauthorized use of vehicle
On Nov. 3, an employee of the Scarsdale Shell gas station, on Scarsdale Avenue, reported that someone rented a car from the gas station's AVIS dealership on Sept. 28, but that person did not return the car. The renter was from the Bronx and she had been previously contacted about the incident.

Hacked computer
A Walworth Avenue man said he called Verizon to report a problem with his computer Nov.7. He alleged the Verizon agent transferred him to a Google representative. The rep gained access to his computer and said three people attempted to hack the man's Gmail account. The rep placed a password on the account, which prevented the man from accessing his Gmail account. The rep offered to send the man a report about the fraudulent activity for $150 and to fix the computer for $300 to $500. The man refused, and the rep said the man would not be able to use his computer until he paid the fees.

Criminal mischief
Graffiti was discovered on the side of a village-owned brick shed near the train tracks on Scarsdale Avenue Nov. 3. The graffiti appeared to say "Homies" on one side and the initials "LK" on the other side.

Harassment
On Nov. 3, a Spier Road man reported receiving numerous harassing calls from someone alleging to be from the IRS. The man blocked the caller's number.

Leaves
A driver called police to report landscapers blew leaves onto his car while the driver was travelling on Boulevard Nov. 3. Patrol reminded landscapers to be conscious of their environment while blowing leaves.

Trees
A Richbell Road resident alleged a neighbor was trimming trees without a permit Nov.4. The tree trimmer provided police with a properly issued permit from Village Hall.

Taxi fare
A taxi driver called police after a Chateaux Circle resident refused to pay the fare of $121 from La Guardia airport Nov. 4. The resident said she did not refuse to pay, but she believed the fare was only $100. Apparently, there had been a misunderstanding about the fare. The resident paid the driver $121 but said she would never again do business with his company, United Management Taxi Company.

Help
A Saxon Woods Road resident called police because she "was looking for her husband" Nov. 5. The woman suffers from dementia and did not remember that her husband was deceased. Patrol advised assisted living staff, who said they would contact the resident's family.

A White Birch Lane mother called police because a coyote was eating an animal carcass across the street, and the mother was afraid to get out of her car and enter her house Nov. 6. Patrol scared off the coyote and helped the mother and her children get inside their house.

An elderly School Lane woman, who suffers from dementia, left her house and was reported missing Nov. 6. Patrol found the woman on Garth Road and reunited her with her concerned daughter.

Cars and roadways
An improperly parked car on Walworth Avenue was moved after police spoke with the owner Nov. 2.

A driver was waiting for a tow after his car stopped working on Mamaroneck Road Nov. 4. Police stood by for traffic safety.

Construction vehicles were parked on a curved section of Innes Road Nov. 5. Patrol asked the drivers to move their cars to a straighter section of the road, for increased safety.

The parking enforcement officer spoke with the owner of a scofflaw car parked in the village Nov. 5. The car had accumulated over $1,000 in parking fines.

Police set up flares around a disabled car on Saxon Woods Road Nov. 5.

On Nov. 6, police issued a summons to a Hartsdale driver who was driving with suspended registration due to an insurance lapse.

Police removed a fallen branch from Springdale Road Nov. 6.

On Nov. 8, police responded to the stone entrance of Red Maple Swamp, on Valley Road, to investigate damage to the wall. It appeared as if a car had struck the wall overnight. The wall was damaged, and police picked up parts of a Subaru left at the scene of the accident.

Eight car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Civil matter
A Dell Road landlord locked tenants out of their rental house and interfered with the tenants' move-out Nov. 7. According to a lease agreement, the tenants had a right to be in the property that day. The landlord said the tenants were behind with their rent, and she changed the locks. Police advised the landlord that there is a process of eviction, and the landlord cannot simply change the locks. Police stood by while the tenants were let back inside the house and proceeded with moving out. Later that evening, at 7 p.m., the landlord locked the tenants out again. Police advised her she was not allowed to do that, and the landlord allowed the tenants back into the house to finish their move.

Dog
Police picked up a loose black dog from a Richbell Road construction site Nov. 7. The dog was turned over to New Rochelle Humane Society.

Village code
Police issued a summons to landscapers for using power tools outside of the designated times on Palmer Avenue Nov. 7.

A caller complained about a noisy party on Taunton Road Nov. 8. Patrol advised the host to be mindful of the noise level.

Lost and found
A Vanderbilt Road woman reported losing the diamond from her engagement ring Nov. 4.

A driver's license and miscellaneous cards were found on Brewster Road Nov. 7. The owner picked up the cards from headquarters.

A black suitcase found on Greenacres Ave was determined to be garbage Nov. 2.

On Nov. 8, police found a purse on Post Road, near the entrance to George Field Park. It belonged to the victim of a car break-in from the previous day. It contained glasses, DVDs from the Scarsdale library and keys.

Someone found a New York State identification card on Fenimore Road and gave it to police Nov. 8. The ID card belonged to a Yonkers woman.

An Enterprise Rental car key was found on a bench on Duck Pond Road Nov. 8. Patrol contacted the owner, who said she would retrieve the key from headquarters.

Fire
Firefighters extinguished a small rubbish fire on the driveway of the French American School on Secor Road Nov. 2. The burnt cardboard item was removed by the sanitation department.

A gas odor on Overhill Road was caused by a gasoline delivery to a Scarsdale Avenue gas station Nov. 2.

Con Edison was notified about a gas odor on Valley Road Nov. 2.

Firefighters traced the source of a gas odor in a Walworth Avenue house to a snow blower dripping gasoline in the basement Nov. 3. They removed the snow blower from the house and cleaned up the gasoline spill.

Elevated carbon monoxide was detected in a Mamaroneck Road house during the installation of a new hot water heater Nov. 5. Firefighters notified Con Edison to check the safety of the connections.

Firefighters checked a Fox Meadow Road house for gas after a detector sounded Nov. 5.

Firefighters notified Con Edison about a possible gas leak in an Obry Road house under renovation Nov. 6.

A malfunctioning boiler was causing elevated carbon monoxide in a Franklin Road house Nov. 6. Firefighters shut off the boiler, ventilated the house and summoned Con Edison.

This week, firefighters assisted at one car accident. They responded to four false carbon monoxide alarms and 18 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, construction dust, steam, cooking smoke, burnt food and battery replacement.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Nov. 2-8 was compiled from official information.

This police report is sponsored by Scarsdale Security who does more than just security. Contact them about remote video for your home or business. Call 914-722-2200 or visit their website.