Police Report : Wild week of burglaries, thefts and break-ins

Burglaries: A Dickel Road resident reported a burglary at 1:15 a.m., April 22. It occurred while the family was picking up an aunt at JFK Airport. Upon returning home, the family found that the rear sliding door in the kitchen was open. Inside the house, rooms were heavily ransacked, and many items were out of place. The residents were unable to immediately ascertain what had been stolen, due to the heavy ransacking; however, they were able to confirm that $85 had been stolen from their daughter's bedroom, and approximately five to seven watches were stolen from the master bedroom. Police are investigating.

A Valley Road house was reported to have been burglarized April 22. It was discovered by the housekeeper, who first noticed a basement door was pushed in and the house was in disarray. Most rooms in the house were tossed, with personal items thrown about on the floor. Patrol contacted the homeowner, who said the last person to leave the house was his wife. She left around 12:30 p.m., April 21. The house is equipped with an alarm system, but it was not in use at the time.

Thefts
On April 18, the manager of the Popham Road CVS reported someone stole 8 bottles of Nexium 24 Hour medication from the store 's shelves on April 17. The value of the stolen medication was $231.92. Video surveillance captured a suspect entering the store without a bag and exiting with a bag. He was described as a tall, slim black man in his late forties, with dark brown and gray hair worn in dreadlocks and a ponytail. He was wearing a black sweater and pants with a white undershirt and dark sunglasses. He was driving a dark blue Chevrolet Malibu. Investigation revealed that the same suspect was seen in a Greenburgh CVS that same day, as well as exiting a White Plains CVS. IN the White Plains incident, the suspect was carrying a "Happy Birthday" bag filled with similar items to the items stolen from the Scarsdale CVS. The suspect was confronted in White Plains; the bag was removed from his hands, and he fled to a dark blue Chevrolet Malibu.

On April 19, a Normandy Lane man reported jewelry, his passport and other items went missing from dresser drawers inside his house while he and his wife were in Florida from Dec. 15, 2015 until April 6. He said contractors – including a flooring contractor and upholsterer, were renovating his house and had access to it at the time of the theft. Patrol went to the man's house to make a report, but he was busy speaking with a representative from a flooring company and could not talk with police. Patrol advised him to contact headquarters again when it was more convenient for him to file the report. On April 22, the man contacted police again to make the report.

On April 19, a Fenimore Road resident reported 30 pounds of dog food and a collapsible dog crate were stolen from her front porch. They had just arrived as a package and were sitting on the front porch, in their box, waiting to be brought inside. They were valued at $110.

On April 21, a Meadow Road woman reported $25,000 worth of handbags, shoes, golf shirts, underwear, cosmetics, belts and costumer jewelry was stolen from her 2007 Lexus while it was being transported from Boca Raton, Florida, to Scarsdale. She notified the transport company, and a representative, who was allegedly "hostile" with her on the phone, said he would look into it.

Arrest for Hit and Run:
Greenburgh Police have announced the arrest of a White Plains man for a fatal hit and run accident that took the life of Darryl Chung, age 23 of South Road in Greenburgh on Tuesday June 9, 2015. The accident occurred in the early morning hours when Chung was walking along South Road, believed to be heading home, when he was struck by a vehicle and killed. The vehicle fled leaving Chung lying on the side of the roadway where he was later discovered by a passing motorist who called 911 at about 6:00 A.M. An SUV type of vehicle was captured on a video surveillance camera at approximately 1:45 A.M. on the morning of June 9, 2015 traveling on South Road in the vicinity of Polk Place.

On Wednesday April 27, 2016 Greenburgh Detectives interviewed and subsequently charged Theodore Aubrey Gumbs, age 51 of 1 Wyndover Woods Lane White Plains NY 10603 with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in a Death, Section 600 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law a Class D Felony. The arrest stems directly from investigative leads developed by the Detectives in locating the 2015 Honda Pilot that Gumbs was driving the night he struck Chung. Detectives working in conjunction with the Westchester County District Attorney's Office obtained a search warrant for the Pilot which will be transported to the Westchester County Department of Laboratories for forensic analysis.

Gumbs was held overnight at Greenburgh Police Headquarters awaiting arraignment in the Greenburgh Town Court at 2:00 PM on Thursday April 28, 2016.

Car break-ins
On April 18, a Tarrytown resident reported her black 2015 Subaru's front window was broken while parked on Greenacres Avenue. Her purse was stolen from the car. It contained approximately $6 cash, a checkbook, driver's license and personal effects that did not have any monetary value. The car was reportedly parked there for one hour while the owner was attending a fitness class.

At 12:10 a.m., April 23, a New Rochelle caller reported her car was broken into while it was parked on Walworth Avenue between 4:15 p.m. and 7 p.m., April 22. The window was smashed, and her purse was discovered missing. She said it contained $1,000 cash, five credit cards, three debit cards, her driver's license, Social Security card, passport and all of her children's passports, birth certificates and Social Security cards. She said she was carrying these documents because she was intending to renew her children's passports for future travel. While attempting to cancel the credit cards, the woman realized unauthorized charges had already been made at a Metro North station and Burger King restaurant. The theft occurred while the New Rochelle woman was having Passover dinner with a Walworth Avenue resident.

Arrest on warrant
On April 20, South Nyack police arrested Michael McNair, 27, of Valley Cottage, for numerous vehicle and traffic violations. At that time, South Nyack police learned there was an active warrant for McNair, issued out of Scarsdale. Scarsdale police picked up McNair and brought him back to headquarters. He was arrested, booked and taken to Scarsdale Village Justice Court where he was arraigned. Bail was set at $5,000 cash or bond. Unable to post bail, McNair was transported to Westchester County Jail.

Identity theft
On April 22, a Stratton Road man reported a fraudulent charge on his bank account. According to bank records, $611.04 was withdrawn from the man's account without his permission or knowledge on April 18. It was used to make an "auto pay" payment to Mercedes Benz for a car. The man alerted Mercedes Benz about the fraudulent transaction.

On April 23, an Overlook Road resident reported someone attempted to open at least two fraudulent credit cards in his name. The suspect also managed to change personal information on the resident's online bank account. At the time of the report, no financial losses were incurred.

Criminal mischief
On April 18, a Pelham resident reported his car was vandalized twice while parked in the Scarsdale Congregational Church lot on April 14 and 18. The first time, his tire was punctured while he was at work. The second time involved a long scratch along the driver's side of the car. At first the man thought the punctured tire was accidental, but after the second suspicious incident, the man believes he is being targeted.

Unreturned rental car
On April 21, the manager of the Budget car rental location on Scarsdale Avenue reported a 30-year-old Bronx woman rented a car for the period of March 9-13 and had not yet returned the car. The manager had attempted to notify the woman by phone and certified mail but had not heard back.

Parking space
A caller stated a basketball hoop was blocking a handicap parking spot on Lyons Road April 18. Patrol instructed a handicapped driver to park in a posted "no parking" zone in the meantime. Patrol attempted to contact the owner of the basketball hoop but was not successful. On April 19, patrol responded to the street for follow-up. Further investigation showed that the basketball hoop was actually located in a grassy area and not on the road. Investigation also called into question the legitimacy of the "no parking" sign. The sign was mounted in an unusual location with regard to the street; there were no pavement marking; and the village did not have any record of that area being a "no parking" zone. Therefore, the village engineer's office believed the sign was not legitimate and not enforceable. The engineer's office planned to follow up with the resident who positioned the basketball hoop near the road. The highway department will follow up with the "no parking" sign and its possible removal.

Help
Police closed and secured an open door at a residential construction site in Heathcote April 18.

Patrol checked the welfare of a Beechwood Lane woman April 20. A friend of the woman advised that the woman was not currently staying at her house.

Patrol checked the welfare of an elderly Heathcote woman who reported she no longer wanted her health aide in her house April 21. Patrol informed the woman's daughter who said her mother suffers from dementia and did not realize the aide is her caretaker. Patrol was able to convince the woman that the aide should remain with her.

Suspicious
A man went to a Brewster Road house stating he was there to "work on the locks" April 19. When the resident said she did not request work on the locks, the man left. The resident said a woman was in the car with the man when he pulled up to her house. The woman then switched seats, and pulled the car out of the driveway and into the street while the man was at the door. The man and woman were described as Hispanic. The car was described as a white and blue Mini Cooper or Fiat.

On April 21, a woman reported a man wearing sunglasses and a blue and black hoodie repeatedly entered and exited Corell Park with a big black dog around 9:45 a.m. She felt his activity was suspicious.

Police checked the credentials of a man seen taking pictures of a Hampton Road house April 23. He stated he was a private investigator, working with another private investigator, doing surveillance of the house. One private investigator was driving a black Nissan Rogue with Florida license plates. The other was driving a black Toyota SUV. Police informed the investigator to inform headquarters about any surveillance assignments in the village.

Liquid
A Madison Road homeowner reported someone left a box containing a bottle of unknown liquid on her property, and she felt it was suspicious April 20. Investigation determined the box was filled with construction debris, and the liquid was an old soft drink. Nothing appeared toxic or dangerous, and police assisted the homeowner in disposing of both.

Unwelcome
A Scarsdale library employee reported a patron banned from the library was sitting in a van in the parking lot April 21. The library's custodian spoke to the patron and asked him to leave. He complied and no further assistance from police was needed.

Pay stations
On April 22, a Dobbs Ferry woman called police and reported her credit card information had been stolen, and she suspected there might be skimming devices at the pay stations in the Christie Place garage. Patrol checked the pay stations in the garage and found them to be in good order, without any tampering or credit card lifting devices.

Cars and roadways
A man's 2015 Hyundai Sonata got scratched while parked on Heathcote Road, while the man was getting a haircut, April 18. He said a dark colored SUV was parked next to his car when he parked to get his haircut, and the SUV was gone when he exited the barbershop.

Police dispersed two parked cars from Hampton Road April 19.

A Franklin Road resident reported her daughter's arm was "brushed" by a car while crossing the street at the intersection of Heathcote Road and Palmer Avenue April 22. The driver stopped to check the girl's wellbeing and offered her contact information, but the girl refused. The girl's mother did not want to file a report but felt the driver should be spoken to about her apparent carelessness as a driver.

A street sign at the intersection of Heathcote and Sherbrooke roads was dislodged and discovered lying on the ground April 23. Based on tire impressions on the ground, it appeared as if a large vehicle struck the sign and drove over it.

A driver ran out of gas at Weaver Street and Crossway April 23. Police stood by while the driver got gas from the gas station and refueled her tank with enough gasoline to drive her car away.

A large turtle was reported to be causing a hazard at Post and Oxford roads April 23.

This week, eight car accidents were reported in the village. One involved a 24-year-old Bronx driver who was charged with operating an unregistered vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with improper plates and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.

Lost and found
A pedestrian found a car key and brought it headquarters April 18.

A red wallet was found at a Post Road gas station and brought to headquarters April 20. Police identified the Olmsted Road owner, using information from her driver's license, and returned the license to her.

On April 21, patrol located the owner of a lost backpack, found at Chase Road and Boniface Circle, and returned it.

Village code
Police advised a real estate agent he was not allowed to solicit business door-to-door without a permit April 19. A Walworth Avenue homeowner alerted police to his presence.

Police informed a contractor working after 5 p.m., Sunday, April 24, that village noise ordinances did not permit such work at that time. The contractor stopped work and left the construction site.

Firefighters
A carbon monoxide monitor was signaling a low battery backup in a Brown Road house April 20. Firefighters determined the outlet supplying power to the monitor was not working. They advised the homeowner to have the outlet and panel evaluated by an electrician.

A loose sewer cap in a Gorham Road house was allowing a sewer odor to enter the house April 20. Firefighters replaced the cap but advised it was in a deteriorated condition. The homeowner was advised to contact a plumber for replacement.

Grease in a Paddington Road barbecue grill caught fire April 20. The homeowner extinguished the fire and removed the fuel source (a propane tank) before firefighters arrived. The homeowner advised she would refrain from using the grill until it could be cleaned and serviced.

Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a possible natural gas leak on Post Road April 21.

Firefighters helped a locked-out Brewster Road resident get back into the house April 21.
A resident thought a contractor accidentally hit a gas line while digging on Reynal Crossing April 21. Firefighters could not find any evidence of a possible problem. They stood by for Con Edison as a precaution. On April 22, however, contractors did hit a gas service line and bent it. Firefighters stood by for Con Edison.

A reported gas odor in a Coralyn Road house was unfounded April 21.
Firefighters used pressurized water to extinguish a small brush fire on Heathcote Road April 22.

This week, firefighters assisted at two car accidents in the village and on parkways. They responded to one false carbon monoxide alarm and 18 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, cooking smoke, shower steam, construction dust and heat from a hair iron.

This report covering police and fire department activity from April 18-24 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.