A Stressful Week for the Scarsdale Police

Scarsdale Public Safety Headquarters took over 3,400 emergency calls during the storm – despite the failure of the new Lightpath communications system. Police and firefighters worked round-the-clock, many staying at headquarters and working overtime to deal with the extraordinary demands of a community in crisis. Most of the calls involved downed trees and wires. Police and firefighters secured the sites and taped off the affected areas to prevent people from stepping on live wires. In some instances, where trees fell on homes, the fire department assessed whether or not it was safe for the residents to remain inside. On the Post Road at 5:37 pm on Monday night, Detective Sherri Albano watched a tree take down wires and fall onto a car. She was able to assist the driver who got out of the car unharmed.

In the past few days there were scores of calls to the police about suspicious cars and people as it is difficult to tell who’s in town to do repairs and who’s up to no good. In addition, there were several reports of fights between frustrated residents and Con Edison workers.

As of Tuesday November 5, the communications system has been restored and police and firefighters are continuing to do everything they can to keep residents safe and secure our property. Police are patrolling dark streets to guard against burglars, checking homes and making welfare visits to the elderly who insist on staying in their unheated houses, many with no phone service.

For those without power, if the storm this week causes flooding in your home, Lieutenant Thomas Altizio advises you to call the emergency operation department for assistance with pumping at 722-1150.

Here’s more news from the Scarsdale Police:

Con Edison is reporting thefts of electrical wire from residential streets. Metal thieves have been cutting and stealing downed power lines as well as new wire spools left at outage site to facilitate repairs. Con Edison will prosecute anyone who steals equipment, and asks that residents report any suspicious persons in the area of downed electric cables or spools of cables at outage sites.

There have also been reports of Con Ed impostors trying to scam customers. Anyone suspicious of the actions or requests of someone claiming to be a Con Edison employee should ask to see the employees Con Edison employee identification card or call the police to verify they are authorized Con Edison personnel. Legitimate Con Edison employees will have company identification cards.

Burst Pipe at SMS: On Tuesday November 6, the day the Middle School reopened after being closed for a week, a pipe burst in the ceiling above the Fountain House Counselor's office and quickly filled the Fountain office with water and steam, tripping the fire alarm system. The school was evacuated and students went to the field where attendance was taken. Within fifteen minutes, Scarsdale fire personnel allowed everyone to return to the building except for the first floor of Fountain House.

Generator Theft: At 1 am on November 3, residents of Ferncliff Road caught two men trying to steal their generator from the front of their home. They heard a car idling, looked outside and saw two men attempting to steal the $3,000 unit. When the homeowners stepped outside, the two men jumped into their SUV and drove away.

Oops: A 76 year-old Garth Road man drove through police barricades and yellow tape on Boulevard on the morning of 11/1 and collided with downed trees and power lines at the intersection of Boulevard and Clarence Road.

Debris: A Berkeley Road woman called police on October 31 when neighbors dumped a large amount of tree debris in her yard. Police advised that this was a civil matter.

Several tree branches fell on police and emergency vehicles during the storm on Monday night October 29 – and one damaged the roof of a police car.

No gas: On November 2, police got a call from the driver of an SUV who had run out of gas on Church Lane. Police were unable to obtain any gas for the car so they towed it off the road.