Village Reverses Parking Provision and Encourages Leaving Leaves on Lawns
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There was good news for aggravated commuters at the Scarsdale Village Board meeting on Tuesday night December 13th. Mayor Flisser opened the meeting by announcing that the Village will not enforce a new “head-in” parking regulation that requires drivers to park nose-in at the Freightway Garage. Many now back their cars into spots in the morning to ease their exit at night. When the Village changed the policy, some residents were furious. For now, the Village Manager will monitor traffic flow and will not issue any tickets for backing into a parking spot.
Several residents came to the mike to commend the Mayor, Village Board and Trustees for listening to commuter’s concerns and doing a quick turnaround on their policy. Among those who commented were Josh Frankel and Kevin Goldman.
The Mayor also announced that the Village will recommend that residents utilize onsite leaf mulching, whereby leaves are mowed into the lawn and end up as mulch. Next fall, the Village will experiment with shredding leaves in Chase and De Lima Parks and will undertake an education program to encourage residents and landscapers to reduce the cost of leaf pick-up by using leaves to mulch lawns instead of blowing them to the curb and carting them away. A resolution was passed at the meeting to encourage mulching in place.
Trustee Mark reported on a meeting of the West Quaker Ridge and the Middle Heathcote Murray Hill Neighborhood Associations held at the Crossway Firehouse where residents called for a revision of the Village code provisions on home generators. After several recent storms knocked out power for long stretches of time, many residents would like to install back-up generators to power their homes when the power goes out. In response to resident requests, Mark said the Village Trustees will call a meeting of the Law Committee to review the code.
Other agenda items included:
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Approval of an updated Freshwater Wetlands Map and zoning code amendments to strengthen the Village’s ability to protect and enhance local freshwater wetlands.
Approval of a special use permit to allow a new clothing store, MAG Tricote, to open in Christie Place in the space now occupied by the Christie Place sales office.
Approval of an application by the Chabad Lubavitch Organization of Westchester to place a menorah in Chase Park from December 20 -28.
Opening on Committee for Historic Preservation: The Village Board is currently seeking applicants to fill an opening on the Committee for Historic Preservation. If you wish to apply, visit the Village Website to complete an application here:
Here is a description of the position: The Building Inspector advises the Committee for Historic Preservation regarding each application filed with the Building Department for a permit to demolish all or any substantial part of any building in the Village. The Committee for Historic Preservation meets to decide whether the building in question appears to be one of significant historical impact. Based on their determination, they may advise the Building Inspector as to whether or not it is required that the home owner make an application to the Board of Architectural Review for a Certificate of Appropriateness to determine if a demolition permit application should be granted. If the Committee for Historic Preservation approves a demolition permit, they may impose certain conditions. Members of the Committee for Historic Preservation are appointed to serve three-year terms. The Chair of the Committee for Historic Preservation is appointed to a one-year term.
Edgemont Residents Ask Police for Protection
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Burglars continue to prey on Edgemont homes where there were two more incidents on December 1st and December 7th. On 12/1, there was an attempted burglary on Sprain Valley Road at 6:30 pm. At the time, the home was unlit and unoccupied. Intruders tried to get in through a sliding glass door at the back of the house but they activated the alarm and never got into the house. Several Greenburgh Police cars were in the area and were able to obtain leads. The homeowners are of Indian descent.
On December 7th, also at 6:30 pm, burglars did get into a house on Thomas Street, behind California Pizza Kitchen. The homeowner went out at 6:30 pm and discovered the burglary when they returned at 10:00 pm. They found a closet in the master bedroom ransacked. Thieves made off with jewelry and watches but left costume jewelry behind. Police believe the suspects were wearing gloves and entered the house through a large “doggie door” in the back door.
Edgemont residents will meet with the police on Thursday night December 15 and are asking for a long term plan to enhance coverage of the area. In response to residents’ questions, Greenbugh Police Chief Joseph DeCarlo wrote a letter to the Edgemont Community Council, dated December 8 noting the following:
- Since October 1st there have been 7 residential burglaries in Edgemont bringing the total for 2011 to 12 burglaries.
- In 2010 there were 15 burglaires and in 2009 there were 11
- Many of these incidents occurred in the early evening hours at homes that were dark with no lights on.
- In several of the burglaries, entry was made through an unlocked door. In other cases rear sliding doors have been broken to gain access. In some instances alarms were activated and the perpetrators still continued to enter the home.
- All the burglaries have been on the west side of Central Avenue, probably due to larger properties which hide the suspect from the street and other neighbors.
- Burglaries have been prevalent in other areas of the town and many other communities in the County and the Greenburgh Police have been working with other jurisdictions and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Information Center and the Westchester County Police Crime Analysis Unit.
- The department is devoting the full amount of resources it believes are necessary to address this matter including the allocation of on-duty personnel and the use of overtime resources.
Here's what you can do to improve the safety of your home:
• Always close and lock doors and windows when you leave your home, even if only for a few minutes.
• If you have an alarm, use it.
• When you are away during the evening hours, put lights and a radio or television on a timer or on multiple timers.
• Install a flood or spotlight that works on a motion sensor and which will illuminate back entrances to your home when triggered.
• Stop mail and newspapers from being delivered while you are away or have a neighbor pick them up daily for you.
• Undisturbed snow on a driveway or walk is an indicator that no one is at home. Have a neighbor use his car to make tire tracks in the snow on your driveway and put footprints in the snow on the walk or better still, arrange for a neighborhood youth to clear it for you.
• Report anything suspicious you see to the police. You are in the best position to know what looks out of place in your neighborhood. Some excellent leads have been provided by observant citizens. Report what you see using our general business number 682-5300. Of course, if you believe a crime is in progress or about to occur, dial 911. Your assistance can be instrumental in the apprehension of the person(s) responsible for these crimes.
• We believe that suspects will first attempt to determine if anyone is home by first knocking on the resident’s door. If you are home and anyone does come to your door and their reason sounds bogus do not hesitate to contact the police. Attempt to observe if a vehicle is being operated, the model and color.
Residents who would like information on how to make their homes more secure or be involved in a neighborhood watch program should contact Police Officer Peter Dandreano of our Crime Prevention Unit at 682-5334 or pdanreano@greenburghny.com.
Burglars Target Greenburgh Homes
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Greenburgh is being hit with a rash of burglaries. Greenburgh Police Detective Peter Dandreano reports that between October 3rd and November 30th there were 20 in all, with seven in Edgemont and the south end, a few in Hartsdale and ten in the northern section of Greenburgh.
The most recent burglary occurred on the night of November 30th on Greenville Road in Edgemont and additional homes were hit on Mendham Avenue, Sheridan Road, Cherrywood Road, Evandale Road, Pheasant Run and High Point Lane. In most cases the burglars gained entry by breaking a rear sliding glass door. They ransacked bedrooms and took mostly jewelry and cash.
In the Parkway Homes section of Greenburgh, which is east of the Bronx River Parkway and north of Route 287, burglaries have occurred on Winnetou Road, Tomahawk Road, Leather Stocking Lane and Indian Trail. (see the map at right.) In most cases the burglars forced entry through a rear or side window or door but others got in through unlocked windows and doors. The burglars tossed bedrooms and took video games, a laptop computer, watches, jewelry and cash.
The burglaries sound very similar in nature to the incidents in Scarsdale and could be the work of the same suspects. Police advise residents to keep doors and windows locked and alarms activated. They are also cautioning residents to be vigilant of their surroundings while walking to and from their cars, and when walking through the neighborhood.
Greenburgh Police ask residents to report any suspicious activity in your neighborhood. If you notice a suspicious vehicle, person, or incident call 914-682-5300 immediately. Remember to get a good description of the person/persons and any vehicles involved.
If anyone has any information on these burglaries, please call the Greenburgh Police Detective Division at 914-682-5348.
Arrested, Harassed and Stolen: From the Scarsdale Police
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Strangled? Christopher Zerbo age 41 of Bradley Road was arrested for strangulation on the strength of a bench warrant at 7:30 am on 12/2. The victim was his wife who received minor injuries. He presented himself at Police Headquarters accompanied by his attorney. He was fingerprinted, photographed and arraigned before Judge Galloway and released on his own recognizance.
Tenant dispute: The owner of a Dell Road home came to police to complain that her tenant has been removing the “For Rent” signs on the front lawn of the house. The tenant claimed that the sign fell off the post. The homeowner is currently trying to secure the rent from her tenant and has gone to court.
Spat: At noon on 12/1, a Burgess Road woman complained that her neighbor’s landscaper had dumped branches and trees on her property. When police arrived that found a pile of debris, measuring five feet by five feet. Since the branches were not bundled the woman feared that the Village would not pick them up. The housekeeper at the neighbor’s home agreed to call the homeowner to tell her to remove the branches from the yard
Door-to-door: A Claremont Road man called police on the afternoon of 12/3 when a solicitor came to his door and did not have a permit. Police stopped the solicitor who was wearing a company ID from Vinylume. He was issued an appearance ticket for violating Village code.
Harassed: A man who was doing work for Shaaarie Tikvah Synagogue became angry and threatened Bruce Wittenberg from the temple on 11/29. The worker grew irate when he was unable to operate a piece of machinery so Wittenberg took the worker to the train station where the worker said, “pay me my money or I’ll be back with a gun.” In addition, the worker called and said he left paintbrushes on the scene and got angry when Wittenberg asked for his address. The worker then called and sent numerous threatening text messages.
A 19-year-old Cayuga boy reported being harassed by a New Rochelle man on 11/29 -11/30. He was sent unwanted text messages and verbally told he would be “killed.” Police got in touch with the New Rochelle man by phone and he admitted to sending the messages and having an ongoing dispute with the Scarsdale boy about financial issues and physical property. The police told him to cease communications.
Scam: On 11/29 a Brewster Road woman received two money orders in the mail, valued at $870 from someone she did not know. The return address was a company in Houston, Texas. The phone number provided could not be reached. The woman did not cash the money orders and turned them over to the police for safekeeping.
Two fraudulent online transactions, in the amounts of $3,717 and $3,718 were made on a Brite Avenue woman’s Citibank credit card in November.
Missing: On 11/30, an Ogden Road woman reported that a 1.79 carat diamond pendant and platinum chain, valued at $30,000, had been missing since 11/2. It was last seen in a dresser drawer. No burglaries have taken place but she reported the loss for insurance purposes.
Thefts: Three wheels, including tires and rims, were stolen from a BMW parked in the Christie Place garage on 11/29. Together, the wheels were estimated at $3,000.
On 11/28, a Boulevard Road man reported that his bike was stolen from East Parkway where it was secured to the bike rack. The cable was cut from the $1,000 Gary Fisher Model bike, but the thief left the man’s helmet.
An SHS student reported that her camera was stolen from the gym at Scarsdale High School on 11/29. She left it at the school on 11/29 and when she returned on 11/30 it was gone. The Nikon camera and lens were valued at $1,300.
Police Nab Village Jewelry Thief
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Scarsdale Police announced the arrest of a jewelry thief who has robbed stores in Scarsdale, Eastchester, Pleasantville and Bronxville. Donald Jones of Yonkers was arrested on November 30th as a result of a coordinated effort among detectives from these towns. The incident in Scarsdale occurred at 1 pm on Saturday, October 22nd, when Jones entered Sam Lehr Jewelry on Harwood Court and asked to see two diamond rings. He fled the store with the two rings, valued at $15,000. Scarsdale Police Officer Ronnie Arefieg saw the man running from the scene even before the theft was reported. Arefieg made a note of the suspect’s description and the getaway car. Several minutes later the report of the jewelry theft was broadcast and the officer’s observations were reported.
Scarsdale Detectives followed up on the license plate number noted by Arefieg which was later reported as stolen by the original owner. The jewelry store thefts continued in Eastchester, Pleasantville, Tarrytown and 
Bronxville. Detectives from those agencies worked together to link the license plate number seen in the Scarsdale theft to Donald Jones of McLean Avenue in Yonkers. According to Scarsdale Detective Altizio, Jones has been or will be charged with the jewelry store thefts in Eastchester, Pleasantville and Bronxville. Jones was positively identified by Scarsdale Officer Arefieg and will be charged with Grand Larceny in the Scarsdale jewelry store caper. Arefieg’s work was instrumental in identifying the suspect and putting an end to the thefts.
Arrests: Police were called to River Road around 9 pm on 11/23 to investigate a report of a car parked in front of a home for an extended period of time. When they approached the car, someone inside threw something out of a rear window. Police spoke to the occupants of the car and smelled marijuana. Christopher Avila-Chanza, age 20 of White Plains and a companion whose name was not released admitted to smoking pot. Another woman in the car was not under the influence and was let go. Police found a bag with an Aplrozolam pill on the ground near the car and a bag of marijuana in the car. Avila-Chanza and his companion, both from White Plains, were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of marijuana. They were each released on $180 bail and given a court date of Wednesday, November 30th.
Bradley Alvelo, age 24 of Yonkers, surrendered to Scarsdale Police on 11/23 on the strength of a bench warrant issued in January, 2011 for failure to pay a fine. He appeared before Judge Galloway and agreed to pay the outstanding fine of $390.
Damage: Valley Road residents called police at 1 am on 11/22 when they noticed a suspicious car at their neighbor’s house. The neighbor only stays at the house on the weekends and during the week the house is empty.. The house is near Red Maple Swamp where kids often hang out. A Police Officer inspected the house and found that a rear window and basement window were shattered and the banister to the deck was damaged. It did not appear that anyone had entered the house and the officer was unable to determine if the damage had occurred due to criminal mischief or a falling tree branch. Police were unable to reach the homeowners by phone.
A Lincoln Road resident reported that a portion of his fence was kicked in and damaged overnight from 11/19 – 11/20. On Springdale Road residents reported that someone had damaged the fence in their backyard at 1:30 am on 11/26. The resident suspected that kids in the area were responsible.
Identity Thefts: On 11/25 an Old Orchard Road woman was advised that someone had used her American Express card number to purchase a $2,000 Lanova computer. In addition, there were two attempts to purchase auto insurance using the same card. The woman cancelled her account and called credit agencies.
A Montrose Road man received a statement in the mail on 11/20 showing that someone had used his identity to open a Victoria’s Secret account and purchase $989.87 in merchandise. The purchases were made in a store in Harlem. The man also received letters from Target, Macy’s and the Burlington Coat Factory telling him that his applications for credit cards were denied. He had never applied for cards at these stores.
A Kensington Road man got a call from a Citibank branch in Brooklyn on 11/25 asking him if he wrote a check for $16,000. He said that he had not and the bank did not cash the check. In addition, someone opened a Citibank charge account using his name which he was able to cancel. Apparently checks were printed with the Scarsdale man’s name and mailed to another address. The FTC and credit reporting agencies were notified.
A Carthage Road woman was advised by a company named “Life Lock” that someone had tried to open a JP Morgan Chase and an AT&T credit card using her personal information. On 11/27, the woman got a call from Bloomingdale's in Chicago to say that someone purchased $4,893 worth of merchandise using an HSBC credit card issued in the Scarsdale woman’s name. The suspect was subsequently arrested by the Chicago Police and was found to have another receipt for fraudulent purchases at the GAP using the Scarsdale woman’s identity.
Theft: A Yonkers woman who works as a babysitter in Scarsdale reported that her purse was stolen while she was at Crossway Field on the afternoon of 11/26. The purse contained her credit card, $160 in cash and two gift cards valued at $100. She suspects that another nanny in the park may have been responsible.
Mischief: At 1 am on 11/23, a Ridgedale Road man called the Police because a dark colored SUV had driven by his house several times and the driver honked the horn. The last time, a man got out of the car and threw two garbage bags of empty beer cans onto his lawn and sped away. The following night police waited in front of the Ridgedale Road home in a car with the lights off. They saw a silver minivan stop in front of the house and open the doors. Police stopped the minivan and one of the youths in the car admitted to throwing garbage onto the lawn but denied responsibility for the previous incidents. Police took down the names and addresses of the six youths in the car and instructed them to pick up the garbage.
Stranger at the door: A Walworth Avenue woman called police at 5 pm on 11/23 when a stranger knocked on her front door and then sat down on her front stoop for 15 minutes. The resident did not open the door but saw the woman through the window. The woman had a piece of luggage, and was possibly wearing a wig.
Home for the holidays: A Fenimore Road woman called police on the evening of Thanksgiving when her 38- year-old stepdaughter came to the house and banged on the door. The stepdaughter has a history of mental health issues and the resident wanted her to leave. Police spoke to the stepdaughter and she agreed to go away.
Unwanted customers: An employee of Starbucks called police on the night of 11/25 when an unwanted customer came into the café. In September the customer had caused a disturbance by taking photos of the employees. The man returned on 11/25 and was rude. Police told the man that if he returns again he will be charged with trespassing.
At Dunkin Donuts, the manager called police on the evening of 11/26 when a customer stood in front of the counter texting and refused to order something or move. When he was asked to step aside, Danny Sigler of Brookly became angry and words were exchanged. Police told Sigler to leave the store and instructed him not to return.
Overturned front loader: During the demolition of a house at 338 Heathcote Road on 11/25, a front loader overturned and the operator, Dominic Marchese of Pelham, cut his lip. SVAC responded but the operators refused medical attention.
Found: A lost credit card was found in front of Lange’s Deli and turned into police on the morning of 11/22.
