Police Report: Unlocked Cars Lure Thieves, Causing “Crimes of Opportunity” to Rise.

After a spate of reports of stolen cars and car break-ins, the Scarsdale Police are asking residents to do the following to protect their vehicles:

The Scarsdale Police Department makes the following recommendations to residents to a help prevent these larcenies:

-Use motion sensing exterior lighting and keep the perimeter of your home and driveway well lit.

-The smallest amount of light may be a deterrent to offenders.

-Consider investing in a camera surveillance system –and advertise that your home, driveway and property are protected by video surveillance.

-Always lock your vehicle whether it is parked on the street or in your driveway. Do not leave your keys or key fob in the vehicle when it is unattended.

-Numerous vehicle manufacturers equip their vehicles with auto-folding exterior mirrors. When enabled through the vehicle’s settings, these exterior side-view mirrors fold in when the vehicle is turned off and locked via the key fob. When the vehicle is observed in this condition, it’s a sign to offenders that the vehicle is locked.

-A majority of vehicles that are entered or stolen are frequently left unlocked, indicated by the side view mirrors in the “out” position.

-Do not leave valuable possessions in view, especially pocketbooks, bags, electronic and GPS devices.

-Park in a well-lit area.

-Be an observant neighbor. Immediately notify the police of any suspicious activity in your neighborhood. Be vigilant and aware of your surroundings.

Stolen cars: On June 26, a 2019 Audi Q5 was stolen from a Walworth Avenue driveway. It had been left unlocked with the key fob inside. According to police, the car was later recovered.

Three cars were stolen from a Carthage Road driveway during the overnight period of June 27-28. They were a 2016 Mazda, a 2017 Nissan and a 2019 Mercedes-Benz. All three cars were left unlocked with the key fobs inside. According to police, the Mercedes-Benz was later recovered.

On June 28, an Audi A-6 with Pennsylvania license plates, a smashed rear window and a flat tire was found parked at Franklin Road and Harvest Drive. A check if the registration revealed the car had been reported stolen from Greenburgh, NY, on June 26. It had been unlocked, with the key fob inside, at the time of theft. Damage to the door appeared to have been caused by prying the door open with a screwdriver, according to the police report. A screwdriver was found on the passenger seat, as well as Ray Ban sunglasses, a brown purse, a brown cloth hat and an unopened package from this jurisdiction. Additionally, a bag of marijuana was found in the passenger side door. The car was towed to the police impound lot.

Car break-ins
On June 26, a Walworth Avenue woman reported that someone entered her parked and unlocked car overnight and stole two rolls of quarters.

On June 26, a Valley Road resident she noticed her unlocked, parked car had been rummaged through in the recent past. She said she did not notice anything missing. However, later, a neighbor found the resident’s car insurance papers in the street and returned them to her.

On June 26, a Gorham Road resident reported her unlocked parked car had been entered overnight. A $150 Visa gift card and approximately $15 cash were stolen.

On June 26, a gray and yellow handbag valued at $1,000 was stolen from a parked, unlocked car in a Fenimore Road driveway overnight.

On June 26, a Valley Road man reported approximately $20 cash had been stolen out of his wife’s unlocked, parked car overnight.

On June 26, a Fairview Road resident reported a car registered to his business had been broken into the previous night. A package of Charmin toilet paper, a $200 lock pick set and approximately $20 cash were stolen. Security cameras captured the incident on video.

On June 28, a $300 Tory Burch handbag and assorted papers were found on Rock Creek Lane. Police returned the property to its owner, who lived a few doors down. The owner said the property had been stolen from her car. Police are investigating.

A wallet was also found on Rock Creek Lane June 28. Police contacted the owner, and she said the wallet had been stolen from her car overnight. She told police her credit cards and some cash, which had been inside the wallet, were missing. She put a freeze on her accounts. Investigation showed a $30 charge at an Exxon gas station had already been processed through one of the stolen credit cards.

On June 28, an Aspen Road resident reported someone entered her unlocked, parked car overnight. It was tossed, but nothing was stolen.

Scams
Someone filed a fraudulent unemployment claim in a Horseguard Lane woman’s name. She learned about it June 23.

On June 25, a Brite Avenue caller resident said someone filed a fraudulent unemployment claim in her name.

On June 26, a Tompkins Road man reported he attempted to purchase a pair of sneakers for $160 over the Internet. He sent the money to the seller via Cash App but has yet to receive the sneakers. He needed a police report to receive a refund of the money from Cash App.

Dispute
On June 22, a Christie Place restaurant manager had a dispute with an allegedly disrespectful customer. The customer paid the bill and was told he was no longer welcome in the restaurant. Police reiterated the message to the customer.

Housemates
A person who lives in a Post Road house said a basement tenant was observed lying on a hill in the backyard possibly looking into windows belonging to private rooms of other housemates June 23. Police spoke with the tenant who said he was just lying in the grass and not looking into any windows. The property owner requested that the tenant refrain from using the back hill and possibly looking into windows to avoid conflict.

Suspicious activity
An Edgewood Road resident told police she heard a car door open and shut outside her house around 1 a.m., June 25. Her exterior motion lights then came on. She said a middle-aged white man, wearing a light-colored T-shirt, shorts, gloves and a mask, walked to her house and placed a plastic bag on her door handle. According to the resident, the man then took a picture. The person then reportedly left in a dark-colored SUV and possibly took the bag with him because it was no longer there when the resident checked.

A man taking photos in the back of Quaker Ridge School alarmed a parent who believed the man might have been photographing the parent’s children June 26. Police attempted to speak with the man but encountered a language barrier. The man’s son-in-law was called to translate. The man then said he had been following a rabbit and was attempting to take photos of the rabbit.

Unwanted calls
A Barry Road resident reported unwanted texts and calls from an individual. There were no threats expressed in the communications. Police advised the resident to block the individual’s number.

Pandemic restrictions
On June 22, police dispersed approximately 60 people from a gathering at Lincoln and Carthage roads. The hosts were informed that only gatherings of ten people or less were permitted, as per the governor’s executive order.

Police checked an East Parkway business to make sure social distancing measures were being followed after a caller expressed concern June 27.

Welfare check
On June 26, police checked the welfare of an Old Lyme Road man after a caller expressed concern. The man was OK.

Water
A water fill pipe to a Morris Lane pool was malfunctioning and leaking a large amount of water onto the neighbor’s property June 22. Police and firefighters turned off the water, gas and electricity to the pool to stop the water flow. A message was left for the homeowner.

Garage door
A Rock Creek Lane garage door opened on its own June 24. Police determined the door was malfunctioning. Nothing suspicious was observed.

Cars and roadways
A driver on the Hutchinson River Parkway alleged that another driver might have intentionally tried to “run him off the road” June 23. Police informed the driver that they couldn’t issue traffic citations for offenses that they did not see or for offenses occurring outside their jurisdiction.

A tree fell on wires on Brookby Road June 23. Police notified the highway department and Con Edison.

The water department was informed about a water leak on Edgewood Road June 23.
Police helped a pedestrian cross Weaver Street June 24.

A Montrose Road resident was asked to move his parked car so as to not interfere with Con Edison work June 25.

Con Edison was notified about a low-hanging wire on Montrose Road June 25.
A Meadow Road woman reported a large delivery truck drove over her property and dislodged a landscaping rock June 25. Police helped the woman move the rock back in place.

A man sleeping in his car at Post Road and Boulevard at 4:30 a.m., June 27, told police he was “very tired.” There were no signs of impairment or distress.
Police helped an elderly woman shut off her car on Rock Creek Lane after she requested help from police June 27.

Police called a tow for a motorist with a disabled car on Mamaroneck Road June 28.
Police and highway workers removed fallen branches and wires from Fox Meadow Road and Woods Lane June 28.

Police taped off an area around a fallen wire on Olmsted Road and stood by for Con Edison June 28.

A tree fell onto a Brewster Road house June 28. No one was injured, and no structural damage was observed. Police notified the homeowner who was not home and advised him to contact his insurance company. Firefighters assisted.

Verizon was notified about a fallen cable wire on Wayside Lane June 28.

A transformer exploded on Wheelock Road, causing a power outage, June 28. Con Edison was called and police assisted a resident who was concerned about the lack of power.

Village code
On June 22, police asked a Colby Lane homeowner to lower the volume of music coming from her house.

Police received a noise complaint about a Sprague Road house after midnight June 23; however, after arriving on scene, police did not hear any noise. The homeowner was informed about the complaint and said she found the presence of police cars on her street to be “wildly inappropriate” and “unacceptable.”

Police issued a Carthage Road landscaper a summons for using a gas-powered leaf blower in violation of Village code June 23.

Neighbors reported loud talking at a Bell Road house after midnight June 24. Police asked the residents to keep the noise level down.

Organized soccer clinics were being run without proper permits on a Weaver Street field June 24. Police informed the soccer coaches, and they stopped activity. Coaches waited with the kids until parents picked them up.
Four summonses for leaf blower enforcement were issued Village wide and on Wheelock and Cushman roads during dedicated patrol for Village code enforcement June 24.

On June 25, one summons for improper leaf blower use was issued to landscapers on Oak Lane.

Kids were being noisy in a Dobbs Terrace backyard June 25. Police asked them to keep the noise level low in order to stop disturbing neighbors.

A delivery truck was at work on Scarsdale Avenue after midnight June 26, Police advised the driver he was not permitted to make deliveries after the allotted delivery period, as permitted by Village code. The driver apologized and said he had not been aware of the restrictions.

On June 26, police issued a summons for improper leaf blower use to a landscaper on Post Road.

On June 26, police advised a gathering of approximately 10 people to keep their noise level down.

Construction workers on Penn Blvd. were told they could not start work until 10 a.m., June 27.

According to footage from a video surveillance camera, a man riding a bicycle on Wynmor Road stopped at a construction site and “seemed to take special interest” in a cable wire that is temporarily run down a utility pole and pulled across the ground to a connection at the house. Police reviewed the video and examined the wire in question. Police speculated that the man was most likely concerned about the unusual and haphazard positioning of the wire and was most likely concerned it might have been a fallen power line.

Dogs and cat
A maintenance worker allegedly confronted a Gatehouse Road woman about cleaning up after her dog June 22, according to the woman, who called police. Police arrived on scene, and the worker said he was a groundskeeper and often found dog feces on the property. He therefore politely asked the woman to clean up after her dog. Police were able to successfully mediate the confrontation.

A Copper Beech Lane homeowner complained that a neighbor’s cat keeps walking onto his property and his wife is allergic to cats June 25. Police spoke with the neighbor who said he was aware of the situation and was actively training the cat to avoid such behavior.

Lost and found
A passerby found a wallet on Cooper Road and gave it to police June 22. Police found an ID card indicating the wallet’s owner and returned the wallet to him. The owner said nothing was missing from the wallet.
A broken iPhone that was severely cracked and would not turn on was found on Cooper Road June 23. Police vouchered it as found property.

A passerby found a debit card on a picnic table on Supply Field and gave it to police, who returned it to its owner July 23.

On July 23, a passerby found items at the intersection of Post and Murray Hill roads and gave them to police.

A Wynmor Road woman reported that her children were flying a drone in the area, and it got lost June 23.

On June 28, a caller reported finding an iPad on the ground at Rock Creek Lane and Sycamore Road approximately three days ago in the past.

A set of keys – for a Ford Mustang and a possible house key – were found on Franklin Road and turned over to police for safekeeping June 28.

Firefighters
A contractor damaged a natural gas line on Huntington Avenue June 22. Firefighters stood by for Con Edison.

Firefighters assisted at a car accident involving a truck and an overpass bridge on the Hutchinson River Parkway June 24.

On June 25, smoke was reported in a science lab at the Scarsdale Alternative High School. It was determined that non-toxic flash cotton ignited and self-extinguished in a closed wooden wall cabinet. Other chemicals stored in the cabinet were determined to be stable. It was determined that the cotton self-ignited due to high ambient temperature and the cotton’s method of storage. The cabinet was cleaned. A teacher said the flash cotton and flash paper had been used for a demonstration one day before schools closed due to the pandemic.

A light fixture in the parking lot of Scarsdale High School was smoking but soon got repaired by custodians June 26.

A gas grill was leaking at a Normandy Lane house June 27. Firefighters advised the residents to call for service.

On June 28, firefighters assisted Fairview and Hartsdale fire departments with two houses struck by lightning in their jurisdictions.

This report covering police and fire department activity from June 22-28 has been compiled from official information.

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