Greenburgh Police Report: Rapist Caught and Car Thieves Plague Edgemont Homes
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An illegal immigrant has been arrested for forcible rape after he met three escorts on the website Backpage.com and assaulted them at hotel rooms in Westchester. In the latest incident on Sunday March 3, police were called to La Quinta Hotel on Saw Mill River Road in Greenburgh about a sexual assault. The 19 year-old victim was a Pennsylvania resident who had placed an ad in the "Escorts" section of the website and arranged to meet the respondent at the hotel.
When Silvio Raul Illescas, age 40 of Elmsford came to the room he raped the woman at knifepoint. Using phone records, police were able to locate Illescas on Monday and charged him with two counts of rape in the first degree (Class B- Felony) for the rape on March 4 as well as another assault that occurred on February 13. He is being held at the Westchester County Jail without bail.
In the 2/13 incidient, Illescas has been charged with raping a 29 year-old woman from Washington state and holding her for five hours before fleeing. Then on February 23, Illescas allegedly attempted to rape a woman from California in a Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown. He slashed the woman's neck but evaded the police.
Greenburgh Police believe that prostitutes are travelling to Westchester for liaisons here because there is a wealthy client base. The women place ads in Backpages.com and arrange multiple appointments at Westchester hotels. According to police, the going rate is $200 per hour.
Thefts at Sunningdale: Two Edgemont residents reported that their iPhones were stolen from their bags during a bar mitzvah at Sunningdale Country Club on Underhill Road in Scarsdale on Saturday March 2. The guests had left their seats to observe the festivities and when they returned to their seats the two iPhones were gone.
Car thieves target Edgemont and Hartsdale:
Thieves swept through Edgemont on the night of February 25 -26 and entered man cars. Here's the report:
Overnight on 2/25-2/26, two cars parked in a Hadden Road driveway were ransacked by thieves who made off with $600 in cash and a hand-held power drill valued at $300.
A Honda Civic and a Toyota Sienna parked in the driveway of a Kempster Road home were entered overnight on 2/25 – 2/26. $20 in cash was stolen.
On the morning of 2/26, an Audi Q5, parked in the driveway of a Cotwold Way home was entered. Missing was $10 in quarters, and an iPod.
An unlocked Lexus parked in the driveway of a Withington Road home in Edgemont was entered overnight on 2/26 – 2/27 and change was stolen. There was no sign of forced entry.
On Campden Road an unlocked 2012 BMW X3 was entered sometime on 2/25 or 2/26 and a pair of broken sunglasses, valued at $800 as well as change was stolen. A Toyota Highlander parked on Campden Road was entered overnight 2/25-2/26 and $20 was stolen. A Land Rover, also on Campden was entered that same night – and thieves made off with $160 in cash, an Apple nano, a pair of sneakers valued at $200, an Apple iPad valued at $800 as well as the $100 cover.
Thieves were also busy in Hartsdale.
A 2008 BMW 328I, valued at $20,000 was stolen from a garage at 45 East Hartsdale Avenue sometime on 2/24 or 2/25.
Overnight on 2/26-2/27 a 2009 Acura parked in an indoor garage on East Hartsdale Avenue was vandalized. On Wednesday morning 2/27, the car's owner found that all four wheels were missing and the car was resting on folding chairs and an aluminum ladder. The driver's side window was smashed and there was damage to the hood as well. An attempt was made to remove the tires from another car at that same location that night. The bolts on the passenger side tires of a 2006 Acura were also removed, but the tires remained.
Inside Job at Sunshine Bagel: The owner of Sunshine Bagels on Central Avenue in Hartsdale reported that an employee had stolen $350 from the cash register on Saturday night March 2. The owner reported that the incident had been captured on videotape and wished to press charges.
Village Election Day is March 19: Important Instructions for Voters
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If you are not a registered voter but want to vote in the Village Election on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, the last day to register with the Westchester County Board of Elections is Friday, March 8th. You can pick-up a mail-in registration form at Scarsdale Village Hall or go directly to the Westchester County Board of Election at 25 Quarropas Street, White Plains.
In order to register to vote, you must:
• Be a U.S. Citizen
• Be 18 years of age by the date of the election in which you want to vote
• Live at your present address at least 30 days before an election
• Not be in jail or on parole for a felony conviction
• Not claim the right to vote elsewhere
For registered voters who will be out of Westchester County on Village Election Day, an absentee ballot can be obtained by filling out an application form at Village Hall or by requesting one by phone or mail. March 12th is the last day for the Village Clerk to receive an application for an absentee ballot which is to be mailed to a qualified voter; however, applications made in person can be accepted until Monday, March 18, 2013.
All Election Districts will be voting in the Lobby at the Scarsdale Village Hall. Hours of the election are 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and noon to 9 p.m.
For more information, call the Village Clerk's office at 722-1175.
Greenburgh Police Searching for Accused Rapist
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Greenburgh Detectives are investigating a rape that occurred at the Marriott Hotel in the Tarrytown around 1 am on February 13, 2013. The alleged attack occurred inside the room where the victim was staying as a registered guest. The suspect is described as a Hispanic man in his mid thirties 5'6" to 5'8" tall, medium build, dark complexion with very dark hair combed forward. He has a scar on his temple and a mole on the left side of his face near his jaw line with several tattoos on his arms. He was wearing a tan Carhartt type jacket with hood, jeans and dark boots.
The suspect, pictured here, was a visitor to the room. The 29 year-old victim sustained injuries as a 
result of the attack including bruising to her face and cuts to her neck. She was treated at the scene by Greenburgh Police EMS and transported to the Westchester Medical Center.
Photos obtained from surveillance video of the suspect are shown here. Anyone who may recognize the suspect or may have information concerning this investigation is asked to contact Greenburgh Detectives at 914-682-5331. All calls will be kept confidential.
Volunteers Needed for Village Boards and Councils
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Scarsdale volunteers are needed for Village Boards and Councils and the Scarsdale Village Board would like to remind residents how to apply by visiting the Village Website at www.scarsdale.com and click on " read more " under Volunteers Needed for Boards and Councils. On the next screen, complete the online application form and follow the on-screen instructions .
The site contains information on the seventeen Boards and Councils that serve the Scarsdale community and the Scarsdale Village Board. Over 150 village residents serve as volunteers on these Boards and Councils. By volunteering and serving, Scarsdale residents have the opportunity to be involved and provide input to the Village Board.
This year 70 current volunteers are up for reappointment or they may retire, creating a number of openings on all Boards and Councils. All positions are important and there are several key positions that need applicants: the Board of Architectural Review needs to fill two open positions, preferably with architects. The Town Assessment Review Board has one 5 year term open, the Committee For Historic Preservation has one 3 year term open and the Associate Village Historian position is open for a one year term.
With an application deadline of Friday, March 1, residents are encouraged to apply as soon as possible so the Personnel Committee has time to review all applications. Applications can be sent via the website or delivered to Village Hall. If residents have questions or need a printed application, please feel free to contact Trustee Bob Harrison, Personnel committee Chair at 914 725-0962 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Trustee Bob Harrison
Personnel Committee Chairman
Survey Results: Your Thoughts on State Testing and Teacher Evaluations
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In January Scarsdale10583 ran a short survey to gauge reader's opinions on state testing, teacher evaluations and the mandated purchase of computers for the administration of state tests in local schools. Though we only had 45 respondents, our open-ended question on the survey did yield many interesting comments. Here are the overall survey results as well as a sampling of some of our reader comments on these controversial issues:
Question #1: I think that New York State mandates too many tests for student in my district:
Yes: 77.7%
No: 20.0%
Comments:
Not in this school district. We should have "tested" out of this after 100 years of stellar graduation rates and top notch students ..... Can we see the balance sheets for the company who distributes and grades all of these tests? They must be laughing all the way to the bank!
There is a need for oversight. While Scarsdale may be doing it right not every district is. We should not fear the testing because if our philosophy works we should have good outcomes.
For the amount of state aide Scarsdale receives- tell the state to keep their directives
I think our schools are so great that we should be able to opt out. I think it's obvious that Scarsdale, and to some degree Edgemont are the pinnacle of education. We should be left alone.
Other countries are way ahead of US on testing. We disadvantage our workers and the brightest students by not testing enough, unless tests in the US are poor (vis a vis China, UK, Finland), which is possible. Bad tests should give way to mor
Question #2: I believe that teachers should be evaluated based on their students' results on standardized tests:
Yes: 6.6%
No: 22.3%
To a degree: 60.0%
Comments:
Students are shaped by parents, other adults, peers, programs, games, their own aptitudes and much more. To load all of that on a teacher, especially in a class of diverse kids (language, nationality, disability), makes little sense, but timed, sequential testing for each student's growth by teacher should be looked at as an important tool for critical review of teacher competence.
I do think we need to evaluate teachers but tests should only be a small factor.
Question #3: Since the state has mandated the purchase of laptops for each student, I would be willing to pay for the laptop(s) for my child(ren).
Yes: 42.2%
No: 53.3%
Comments:
Most children in Westchester have access to a laptop, note-pad or smartphone equivalent. I hope the state is cognizant of how to use minimal technology to accomplish its goals.
I don't want my children to have portable computers that can leave common areas of the house.
Seriously, either way we end up paying - either buying a laptop ourselves for our children or funding it through a hike in the school tax. Maybe it is more straightforward to buy it ourselves - we can probably get a better deal and have less added overhead cost than putting it on the school budget
General Comments:
The state is not thinking of districts like Scarsdale when they come up with these ideas. I'm sure there are many areas in NY State where unless a laptop is purchased for each child, there may be no good computer access for that child at home. Likewise concerns about evaluating teachers are greater elsewhere. Our concerns are those of the 1%.
I think the use of technology is important, but not at the expense of hiring and keeping good teachers and also providing for their continuing education (the teachers'). It seems counterproductive for schools that are struggling to spend money on a device that has a limited "life expectancy" before it becomes obsolete (as most computers do.)
If the state wants each school to have a computer per child, they better let us have a bigger tax cap or give us money or loan the equipment for the testing!
The current testing craze from the state and federal government is so misguided. There is no research to support that student tests results are a valid measure of teacher quality. It is mostly the opinion of politicians who know little about education.
Testing is ok when it is not too much. I don't want my kids' learning experience become test prep experience (like in China). Now kids are too busy with their eyes. We should ask kids to close their eyes to feel the world with their heart and think about it. There are a lot of things that can not be learned from book and in school.
Too many tests, too much technology. The best way to evaluate a teacher or student is observation and overall results.
Many students freeze during tests. Many students have other issues and need to be tested differently. Many students have some type of learning disability and computer based testing may not be appropriate or show their true ability.
