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Published: 02 June 2010

Created: 02 June 2010

Last Updated: 02 June 2010

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In our own local version of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, a spill from a White Plains building has dumped hundreds of gallons of heating oil into the Bronx River near the White Plains station. The spill began either Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning June 2nd and was reported by a Scarsdale jogger who smelled the oil and called the authorities. As the oil travelled downstream, Greenacres residents could smell it from their homes. Police, firemen, a hazardous material team, and the health department all converged on the scene in an effort to find the source of the spill. They opened manholes and storm drains in their quest to find the source, which they did, but not before hundreds of gallons of oil spilled into the river. The oil was emanating from the basement of an apartment building at 235 South Lexington Avenue and flowed through a storm drain into the river. Workers were able to stop the stream at 12:30 pm. Private contractors were hired to vacuum off the slick and booms were set up from White Plains to Mount Vernon to capture the oil. However, with that quantity of oil, the effects can be seen and smelled.

In the words of Scarsdale runner Andrea Seiden who saw the spill early Wednesday morning, “I woke-up around 6:00 AM and smelled gasoline in my backyard (which is at least a 1/2 mile from the Bronx River). Initially, I thought it had to be due to the heavy rain yesterday and run-off. Around 8:00 AM, I was jogging on the Bronx River path toward White Plains and saw many police and a healthcare worker poking around the river. They informed me that there was indeed an oil leak. The smell was very strong, the water color brownish and the geese were smart enough not to wade in the waters.”

The State Department of Environmental Conservation estimates that three to four miles of the river will be affected. Booms have been set up behind the County Tennis Courts where the water is tea colored and covered in a slick. Take a walk down and you will be sure to catch a whiff.

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Published: 09 June 2010

Created: 09 June 2010

Last Updated: 20 June 2010

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Missing Young Man: At 3:30 am on the morning of June 6th a concerned Fox Meadow mother called police to say that her 20 year-old son, Andrew R. Ehrlich was missing. He was last seen at 37 Innes Road and police learned from the boy’s friends that they had already been searching for him for an hour. Police searched Innes Road, the Heathcote School, Wynmoor Park, the Heathcote bypass, St. Pious Church, Correll Park, Franklin Road and Sycamore Roads. Ehrlich, a student at Lafayette College, had been at a party on Franklin Road near midnight on 6/5 and was said to be highly intoxicated. He had originally planned to sleep at 37 Innes Road but left there and could not be found.

Scarsdale police called the Fire Department to help and they used a thermo-scanner in the search. Police also notified the Westchester County police who sent a canine officer to assist. As part of the effort, Police called Verizon and they traced Ehrlich’s cell phone signal and said it was near 37 Innes Road. His last phone call had been made at 1 am to Gianni Dematteo of 56 Secor Road. Police went to the Secor Road home and found Ehrlich asleep at his friend’s house at 6 am, nearly three hours after they had begun their search. Ehrlich was taken home to Kensington Road by the Scarsdale Police and released to his parents.

Vandalism: Seven mailboxes on Bradford Road were smashed and knocked off their support posts between 11:30 pm on 6/5 and 1:30 am on 6/6. Residents at 20, 21, 22, 25, 28 31 and 40 Bradford Road sustained damage to their mailboxes during the spree. There were reports of noisy kids in the area at that time but no suspects were found.

Duped: Anthony Scarcella, age 80 of Barker Lane was the victim of a scam that cost him $2,965.00 on June 1st. He received a call from a girl who identified herself as his 18 year-old granddaughter. She claimed that she was driving in Canada with two other girls where they was stopped by the police and drugs were found in the car. Furthermore, she was administered a drug test that yielded negative results but she needed money to hire a lawyer. Then another woman, who identified herself as Barbara Johnson, a police officer, got on the line and told Mr. Scarcella that “if he didn’t send the money his granddaughter would go to jail and have a record.” She said the money would need to be sent to Spain to avoid taxes. Scarcella was advised to send a wire transfer for $2,965 to Helen Massuci, 177 Gardo Road, Valenzia, Spain and he went to the Western Union at the A&P on Quaker Ridge Road in New Rochelle to send it. Copies of the receipt were given to the police.

Mr. Scarcella later learned that his granddaughter had been in Poland, not Canada, for the past two weeks and was due to return home that day. Police spoke to the granddaughter who had no information about the scam.

Cars Entered: Thieves entered three more unlocked cars and stole what they found this week. At 31 Brite Avenue, a 2004 Toyota was entered overnight from 6/3-6/4 and the owner lost her camera, blackberry, credit cards and identification cards. That same night a BMW and a Toyota parked at 42 Huntington Road were entered and cash and coins were taken. On the night of 6/1-6/2, a car parked at 45 Walworth was entered and the victim’s wallet containing $350 in cash, credit cards and a Metro North monthly pass was taken.

Burglary Attempt: An Oak Way woman reported damage to her front door on the morning of 6/1 that may have been the result of an attempted burglary. There was damage to the paint and the metal frame around the door lock. No one heard or saw anything suspicious.

Forged Checks: A Cushman Road woman found that someone had used her personal checks to make $7,890 in payments to Mercedes Benz, NYS Income Tax and the North Country Trails Association. She reported the incident to police on 6/5. She spoke to her Chase branch manager who refused to identify the forger but said he had an account at the branch. The forger had $4,756 in missing funds deposited into the victim’s account and said that the balance of the stolen funds would be deposited by Monday. The bank manager did not explain what had happened and Police advised the victim to close her account.

Graffiti: At 4 am on 6/4 police were called to Rodney Road due to a noise complaint. While searching the area they found some kids making graffiti in the road.. The suspects feld but left behind a can of red spray paint and graffiti on the pavement and on a garbage can on Jefferson Road. Pictured were a Star of David and a BBC tag that is similar to the “Big Bag Crew” tag found a few years ago.

A woman who lives near the corner of Mamaroneck and Palmer Roads found a small piece of paper in her flower bed that said “KILL JEWS” on the morning of June 1. The note was written on the back of a receipt but there was no company name on the paper. The woman was concerned for her safety and reported the incident to the police.

Arrest: Matthew McIntosh of Old Greenwich was stopped by police while driving a green Landrover on Heathcote Road on the morning of June 3rd. He had been speaking on a cell phone. McIntosh had no driver’s license and a check of his record showed that his driving privileges had been suspended twice for failures to answer two summons’ in North Salem and Amenia, N.Y. The license plates on the car were registered for another vehicle and he admitted that he had removed the plates from a Ford and put them on his Landrover. He also had no proof of ownership of the car. His car was impounded and towed and McIntosh was issued summons’ for cell phone use, improper use of plates and a broken windshield.

Animals: Marta Murphy who walks the dog for Cooper Road residents came to police to report an incident that occurred on the afternoon of 6/3. She was walking the homeowner’s Black Labrador puppy at 28 Cooper she two large Golden Retrievers charged toward her and the puppy. While trying to flee into the house with the puppy she fell and scraped her leg. A woman from 29 Cooper came and took control of the golden retrievers. She said she was visiting 29 Cooper with her dogs for a play date and did not give any further information. She did not offer to assist Ms. Murphy.

Police received a call about an opossum at the playground at the Girl Scout House. They found the animal that appeared to be fine and relocated it to a wooded area on the morning of June 2nd.

A dog was found at the intersection of Bradley and Locust Roads on the afternoon of June1. Police assisted in locating the dog’s owner and bringing the dog home.

A dog broke free from its leash on Mamaroneck Road on Sunday 6/6, in reaction to a bicyclist. Unfortunately, the Bijan Frise ran into Mamaroneck Road where it was struck and killed by a Mazda driven by a woman from Granite Springs, New York.

Neighbors at Colonial Road and Mayflower Road were engaged in a dispute about tree pruning on June 5. Police advised them to resolve their differences via the building department.

A caller advised police that Chat American Grill had placed tables on the sidewalk of Christie Place in violation of Village code at noon on 6/6. Police spoke to the restaurant manager who was unaware of the rules and agreed to move the tables back inside.

A Puritan Road man reported that his ex-wife failed to drop off his daughter for visitation on the afternoon of June 1st

A Bronxville woman needed assistance at the corner of Popham and Garth Road at 7:30 on June 2nd. When police arrived the woman said that she felt sick from a few drinks and agreed to take a cab home.

Car Trouble: A Brookfield Road resident who had been instructed not to drive due to a medical condition attempted to take out his car around noon on 6/4. Police were called to stop him. The man’s cardiologist was called on the phone and the doctor concurred that the man could become faint or impaired without warning. The man agreed to permit his driver to drive for the day.

A driver exiting the DeCicco’s lot on the afternoon of 6/3 hit the curb, confused the brake with the accelerator and ran into a car traveling east on Christie Place. The driver was indentified as Shirley Ruckhaus, age 82 of Garth Road. No injuries were reported.

Anthony Postiglione of Vernon Drive, Scarsdale was driving a 2009 Nissan at 11 PM on Tuesday 6/1 eastbound on Heathcote Road when he drove off the roadway, hit a telephone pole and several trees and came to a stop in the opposite direction. The driver left the scene but was later taken to White Plains Hospital for treatment.

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Published: 02 June 2010

Created: 02 June 2010

Last Updated: 02 June 2010

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From the Scarsdale Police: Busted: At 1:35 am on 5/28 police issued a summons to an unoccupied car that was parked illegally on Brite Avenue near Butler Road. While writing the ticket the officer noticed two small bags of marijuana on the back seat of the car. When the patrolman placed the ticket on the car he noticed the car was warm. The Officer called for additional policemen to search the area. They did not find anyone but at 2:00 am two boys were dropped off and got into the car. Police made a traffic stop and identified the occupants as two 19 year-old Scarsdale boys. One boy admitted to buying the marijuana earlier in the night in White Plains for $50. The boy who owned the marijuana was placed under arrest and taken to Police Headquarters. He was released and a court date was set for June 9th.

Just after midnight on 5/30, police on the lookout for car thieves spotted a parked car on Innes Road near the entrance to the Heathcote School. As police approached it, the car drove away. The officer stopped the car at Palmer Avenue and Wynmoor Road and when the driver rolled down the window, the odor of marijuana emerged. The occupants produced a small bag of marijuana and said it belonged to the three of them. The car was occupied by three Scarsdale boys recently returned from their freshman year of college. The boys were placed under arrest for unlawful possession of marijuana, handcuffed and searched. They were taken to the police trailer where they were placed in the holding cell and advised of their rights. The seized substance was tested and positively identified as marijuana. The boys were released and a court date was set for June 9th.

Car Break-ins Continue: Police believe there are two thieves at work in the streak of car break-ins – one who breaks car windows to seize possessions and another who looks for unlocked cars and enters them without doing any damage.

A number of cars were unlawfully entered in Fox Meadow and Greenacres this past week, and though personal items were taken, the cars were not damaged.

During the night of 5/26-5/27 thieves entered an unlocked car parked on Brite Avenue in Fox Meadow and took $80 in cash, a credit card and a license from the wallet of a purse found inside. Neither the wallet nor the purse was taken. On Ogden Road, another unlocked car was entered and searched, though nothing was taken.

That same evening, an unlocked Lexus, parked in the driveway of a Brite Avenue home in Greenacres was entered. Missing was loose change, the car’s registration and insurance card. A few doors down, another car on Brite Avenue in Greenacres was also entered but again, nothing was taken. On Ridgecrest North, a Honda and a Toyota were entered and money was taken. The following night, an unlocked Toyota was entered on Dobbs Terrace and a GPS device and change were taken.

On May 31 a car parked in the lot at Boulder Brook Field was vandalized between noon and 3:15 pm while the owner was at the pool.  A rear window was broken and the woman's purse and credit cards were stolen. In addition on the afternoon of Memorial Day a Connecticut man reported that his car had been egged while parked on Bradley Road. The man suspected that friends of his girlfriend may have been the culprits.

The car of a painter working on Sage Terrace was damaged on the afternoon of 5/28. Mr. Avila-Morales reported that he parked his Mitsubishi Montero on Brewster Road while he worked and when he returned at 5:30 pm the rear passenger window was shattered. He noticed that landscapers were working nearby and suspects that a rock thrown from a lawn mower may have broken the window.

Fights! A fight broke out at 2:25 am on May 25th on Colonial Road in Scarsdale. Though there are several versions of the story it appears that Kory Hutchinson, age 26, was on his front lawn with two Mt. Vernon residents, Julieann and Frank Cardillo. Five boys passed by in a Honda Pilot and a physical altercation occurred. One of the boys in the car was struck in the head with a bottle held by Hutchinson. Police broke up the fight and the boy who was hit with the bottle refused treatment while Hutchinson requested transport to White Plains Hospital, complaining of a sore neck. The following afternoon at 2:02 pm, two of the boys involved in the previous night’s incident ran into each other outside the 7-11 on Garth Road and began to argue and push each another. Police calmed them down and advised them to stop.

Another dispute broke out near La Dentelliere on 5/25 at 5:23. The two people had a car accident the previous day and were arguing. Police asked the two to resolve the dispute via their insurance companies.

Attempted Burglary: An Overhill Road woman received a call from her alarm company when the basement door sensor was activated . She returned home and found the basement door open and the latch damaged. She checked the house but did not find any signs that it had been entered. Police believe the alarm may have scared off the suspects.

Noisy Kids: Warm weather brought out the kids: On Monday night 5/24 police found a small group of kids playing basketball at 10 pm. The youths were advised that nobody is allowed on school grounds after 9PM. They left the area without incident. Later than night, Potter Road residents reported noisy kids on Hyatt Field. They also left when police arrived. At 10:50 pm on May 26th, Nelson Road residents reported kids at Edgewood School, who also left the scene when asked.

At 10 pm on May 30th, a large group was reported to be hanging out on George Field. Police asked them to leave and they did so without incident.

Solicitor Summoned: On the afternoon of 5/25 a Madison Road woman called police to say that a solicitor walked up her driveway and was talking with her daughter who was playing in the backyard. About an hour later, police found Rahman Muhammad of Illinois who claimed to be an employee of Midwest Clearing Inc. As he did not have a permit to solicit, he was issued a summons.

Lost: On the morning of May 26th a disoriented woman was reported walking on Fox Meadow Road. By the time police found her, she had make her way home to Elm Road.

Animals: On the afternoon of 5/26 a Bradford Road woman reported that a vicious dog approached her while she was walking her dog on Broadmoor Road. Though neither she nor her dog were bitten, she did want to report the incident.

Later that afternoon a Sheldrake Road woman reported that her babysitter had been harassed while she was walking the dog. The dog barked and someone holding a gardening tool yelled, “don’t bark at me or I will kill you.”

A Brewster Road woman ran over a cat on Morris Lane on the afternoon of 5/27 when the fray and white cat ran in front of her car. The cat had no collar so police were unable to identify the owners.

Water: Innes Road residents reported that neighbors were draining a pool onto the field at Heathcote School on the afternoon of 5/28. Police spoke to the pool owners who were not aware of restrictions regarding pool drainage.

Mischief: Roller bladders shattered a glass table on Oak Lane that had been placed outside for pick up by Scarsdale sanitation on the afternoon of 5/29, Police removed the glass from the road but were unable to locate the kids.

Fire in the Dryer: A clothes dryer, located in the basement of a Huntington Road home caught on fire on the night of 5/29. The Fire Department and Con Edison were called and the street was closed in front of the house. Smoke was coming up from the basement into the kitchen above and volunteer firemen were summoned. Firemen put out the blaze using a dry chemical extinguisher and the gas line to the dryer was shut off. Firemen used positive pressure ventilation to evacuate the smoke from the house. Firemen found lint buildup in the motor compartment of the dryer that had ignited and burned. There was extensive smoke damage to the house and the residents had to move out while the house was thoroughly cleaned.

From the Greenburgh Police

Arson: Old Sprain Road residents awoke at 4 am on Saturday 5/29 to find their two cars on fire. The Hartsdale Fire Department was called to extinguish the flames. Both cars were damaged. Police canvassed the area for suspects but none were found. A neighbor with a video camera promised to check the recording to see if suspects could be identified.

Car thieves were at work in Edgemont where two cars on Clubway were entered during the night of 5/26-5/27. One resident found that overnight someone had entered her 2007 Ford Edge and taken her GPS, a pair of sunglasses and some change totaling $5.00. There was no sign of damage to her car. Also on Clubway an unlocked 2009 White Infiniti was entered and $460 in property was stolen.

On Columbia Avenue in Hartsdale a similar incident occurred on the night of 5/27 – 5/28. A green Porsche and a red Toyota Camry were entered and $25.00 in quarters and a radar detector were taken. There was no damage to the cars.

Egged: A house and two Lincoln Town Cars were egged on Secor Road in Hartsdale on the night of 5/29-5/30. That same night two more cars, a Ford Explorer and a Lexus, were egged on Whittier Street in Hartsdale.

Another Bust: At 3:30 am on 5/28 police found a 2005 Jeep parked in the upper rear lot of 450 South Central Avenue. The car was surrounded by men and the driver was sitting in his car with the door open. He said he had misplaced his keys and his friends were helping him find them. While there, police noticed a bag of marijuana on the floorboard of the car. The 18 year-old Scarsdale driver was placed under arrest and a search revealed 12 white pills in his pocket. The marijuana was positively identified and the pills were identified as meprobamate, which is a prescription drug. The Scarsdale boy was booked, processed and released to his mother on $150 bail, and the car was towed and impounded.

On the night of 5/28 kids were spotted on the roof of the Greenville School at 10:40 pm. When police arrived the kids fled toward the back of the school.