Monday, Dec 23rd

The Lady is a Thief: And More from the Scarsdale Police

Krystal JudgeScarsdale detectives tracked down and arrested two female suspects this week – relating to two separate incidents. One woman had cashed over $2,000 in fraudulent checks from Savona and another, who is a seasoned offender, was arrested for a car break-in at the high school. Here are the details:

Police located and arrested a suspect who was responsible for stealing $2,275 from Savona Restaurant by cashing fraudulent checks from the restaurant. As the result of an investigation, police identified Krystal C. Judge, age 21 (pictured at left) as a suspect and met her at the Hartsdale Train Station at 3:40 pm on September 25. When questioned she admitted to cashing three fraudulent checks at three Chase branches on August 19, for a total of $2,275.24. Police obtained videotape of her at the three branches. She was charged with Grand Larceny in the 4th degree and criminal possession of a forged instrument in the 3rd degree. Her mother came to headquarters and posted $200 bail and she was released pending a court date of 10/2. The report does not say how she obtained the blank checks. However, the restaurant's losses total over $10,000 and the Scarsdale Police Department's Detective Division is continuing to investigate the matter for other suspects who cashed additional fraudulent checks.

An investigation into a car break-in at the tennis courts on Wayside Lane in July led to another arrest this week. Using DNA Marie Nikgjonajfrom blood samples found inside the car, the Westchester County Crime Lab obtained a DNA profile and found that it matched Marie Nikgjonaj, a known offender who was listed in the NY State DNA registry and has been arrested 15 times, primarily for Burglary, Larceny and Forgery. Nikgionai is 34 years old and lives in the Bronx. She came to police headquarters and did not deny that she had broken into the cars. After further questioning she requested a lawyer. She was charged with Criminal Mischief and arraigned before Judge Galloway who set bail at $10,000 in cash or a $20,000 bond due to her long arrest record and failure to appear. She was then transported to Westchester County Jail. The Scarsdale Police Department's Detective Division is continuing to investigate the defendant and her associates for involvement in other crimes within Scarsdale.

Domestic Abuse: At 11:50 pm on September 28 an Arthur Manor woman called 911 to report that her estranged husband had broken into her home. Police responded and found that the 36 year-old mother had been assaulted and injured. The couple's three children were also in the house. The victim was transported to the hospital and police officers investigated the incident. The victim's estranged husband, a 41 year-old resident of White Plains was arrested a short time after the incident. He was charged with Burglary, Criminal Trespass, Assault 2nd Degree, Criminal Mischief and endangering the welfare of a child. The defendant was remanded to the Westchester County Jail on $50,000 bail and an Order of Protection was issued. To protect victims of domestic violence, the names of those involved are not provided to the media.

Confusion at Pick Up: The Principal of Fox Meadow School called police at 12:20 on September 27 to say that a kindergartner at the school was missing. The child had last been seen at 11:50 am. While police were obtaining information, the principal called the child's mother for the second time and she told police that her neighbor had picked up her child at school that day. The child was supposed to go to another friend's house but saw the neighbor first and left with her.

Traffic Stops:
Police stopped Joseph Alexander of Naples Florida on Depot Place in Scarsdale on the afternoon of September 23 after scanners showed the car he was driving had a suspended registration due to lack of insurance. They removed the plates from the car and had it towed to his home in Yonkers. He was given a summons for driving an uninsured car.

Identity Theft: An Oakstwain man reported that someone opened an account with iPayment using his personal information on August 12. He learned of the account when iPayment sent him a letter telling him that $720 had been debited from his iPayment account. As it was a fraudulent account, the Scarsdale man canceled it.

On 9/27 a Walworth Avenue man reported that someone had opened six credit card accounts in his name between September 19 and September 27. Four of the letters included credit cards that he had not ordered and the other two were notices that the cards had been declined. $6,100 in merchandise was charged to the cards.

A 19 year-old man from Crest Lane became the victim of a larceny when he provided his debit card and pin numbers to someone who contacted him on Facebook. The woman said she would wire money to him from her uncle's account and split it with him. Two checks totaling $1360 were deposited into his account and subsequently three withdrawals totaling $440 were made. However on September 18 the victim realized that he had a negative balance of $426 and that his account had been cleaned out. Chase applied a $24 fee for two fraudulent checks. He provided police with copies of the deposited checks, a bank statement and the Facebook dialog. He reported the incident on 9/29.

Trees: A couple from Olmstead Road complained that neighbors on Brite Avenue had damaged one of their trees. The Brite Avenue neighbors had a permit to remove three trees from the property line and replace them with three trees that were similar in size. They also asked their Olmstead neighbors for permission to trim two branches that were extending over their roof and were given the okay to trim the branches. Instead, they cut off 15-20 limbs of the tree above and below the roofline. Police said that the Village would follow-up on the complaints.

A woman from Parkfield Road complained that overnight on September 28-29 someone had driven onto her lawn and damaged her grass and a newly planted tree.

Damage: A Lincoln Road man reported that a bullet from a BB gun had lodged in the front window of his home and caused the window to crack. The damage occurred two months ago. He also reported that on September 25 he found a hole in a rear window of the house, also caused by a BB gun. The man was unsure when the damage occurred and has no ongoing disputes with his neighbors.

An Elmdorf Road man reported that someone had written on the windshield of his Mercedes Benz three times this week. The writing said, "BATT 03/27/13" and he did not know why it was written there or what it signified.

Unhappy Player: The attendant at the Scarsdale High School tennis courts called police at 7:58 pm on September 24 when a young man who wanted to play on the courts gave the attendant a hard time. The player was asked to present a pass and did not have one. He used some threatening language and then walked away.

Hornets: Police cleared the field at the Girl Scout House at 6:25 pm on September 26 while Classic Pest Control removed a hornet's nest from the field.

Loud Music: Police got a call about noise coming from Savona Restaurant at 10:30 pm on September 26. The restaurant owner said that a wedding reception was in progress but said that it would end by 11 pm.

Fights: A Sprague Road mother called police at 1:13 am on 9/27 to intervene in a dispute with her 14 year-old daughter. The mom had taken away her daughter's iPod for disciplinary reasons and they were having a verbal dispute. The mother called police again on the following night at 11:30 pm to say she was fighting with her daughter about the iPod. Since the mother did not know where the daughter got it she was not allowing her to keep it.

Matthew Hart of Lockwood Road came to headquarters on 9/28 to report about a conversation with his ex-wife from whom he has a temporary order of protection. There were no violations.

Animals: At 10 am on September 27 Dolman Road residents found a sick raccoon in their yard. Police determined that it needed to be shot and they cornered it, killed it and disposed of it.

Found: A Prince tennis racquet was found on Fenimore Road on the evening of September 24 and turned over to police for safekeeping.

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