Police Report : Sticky evidence of “mail fishing” found on two public mailboxes on Boulevard

A caller reported a sticky substance on a public mailbox’s mail slot at Gaylor Road and Boulevard Jan. 6. Police confirmed the sticky substance was residue from a glue trap, commonly used to “fish” out mail from a mail collection box and then use this mail to commit fraud, such as check washing or identity theft. Further investigation found a similar sticky substance on the mail slot of another mailbox at Boulevard and Nelson Road. Police notified the Postal Inspector and made a note to increase monitoring of postal collection boxes.

Suspicious
On Jan. 3, around 11 a.m., a Palmer Avenue woman reported that a dark sedan had been parked in front of her house for some time, and she thought it was suspicious. She further stated she believed the driver of the sedan was taking pictures of her. The driver was described as a man in his 20s. The woman advised she would be changed her lock as a precaution.

Civil matter
On Jan. 5, a Hamilton Road woman reported a complaint about a water sprinkler system that had been installed at her house. Namely, she noticed it was leaking near a stone wall on her property. She attempted to call the company’s owner and an employee responsible for the installation of the sprinkler system to address the matter, but they told her they could not come to her house to address the matter until spring of 2023. This prompted the woman to respond to police headquarters to file a report. Police advised it was a civil matter.

A custodian of a Saxon Woods Road facility called police because patrons were not leaving the facility at midnight, Jan. 8, as per terms of their event contract. A verbal dispute resulted, which prompted the custodian to call police. When police arrived on scene, the patrons were in the process of leaving. Patrol stood by until all patrons and guests left the facility.

Bussing dispute
A Walworth Avenue woman reported a dispute with a bus driver working for Scarsdale Union Free School District Jan. 4. The woman said her three children require door-to-door pickups and drop offs, but the driver has not been honoring that agreement. Instead, the driver stops the bus at the corner and insists that the woman walks her children to and from the bus. The driver said the corner pick-up is due to ongoing construction on the street, which prevents the driver from turning around on the street. The caller insisted there was enough room to turn around. Police advised the woman to call the bus company and the school district to come to a resolution.

Cars and roadways
A caller reported a white van and a large SUV parked at the end of Mohican Trail for an extended period Jan. 2. Police spoke to the drivers and learned the van was experiencing mechanical problems, and the drivers parked there to allow the van to cool off. There was no sign of criminality.

On Jan. 3, police issued summonses to a Cortland Manor driver after the driver was observed to be operating her car while holding a phone to her face, with the phone’s screen in an illuminated “on” position. This was observed at a police checkpoint on Drake Road. Police pulled the driver over at the intersection of Crane Road and Church Lane. Further investigation revealed the driver did not have a valid license due to the driver’s failure to answer a summons. Nor did she have a valid registration or insurance. Police issued summonses for these violations, towed the car to the police impound lot and ordered the driver to appear at Scarsdale Village Justice Court on Jan. 8.

While conducting traffic enforcement on Post Road Jan. 3, police observed a car speeding by at 54 mph, in a 30 mph zone. Patrol conducted traffic stop and learned that the Mount Vernon driver’s license had been suspended. Appropriate summonses were issued to the driver, and the driver was instructed to leave his car parked on Montrose Road while he arranged for a ride back home.

A driver with a disabled car on Weaver Street asked for a ride home around 2:19 a.m., Jan. 3. The car was being towed away, and patrol advised the driver would have to call a taxi. Patrol offered to help arrange it. The driver declined and said no further assistance was requested.

On Jan. 3, a driver reported an Asian male wearing with short, spiky hair and a dark hooded jacket took pictures of her car and license plate on East Parkway and attempted to open her car door by pulling on the handle. Police canvassed the area for the man but did not find him.

A car sitting in front of a Cornell Street house was awaiting roadside assistance for a flat tire Jan. 3.

Police notified Verizon about a low-hanging wire on Overlook Road Jan. 4.

Police notified Verizon about a low-hanging wire on Greenacres Avenue Jan. 5.

Police noticed a parked car with its door open on East Parkway Jan. 5. Police checked the car, did not discover any signs of criminality and closed the door.

Police called a tow for a driver with a disabled car at Post and Fenimore roads, in need of a jump-start, Jan. 6.

A parked car was impeding traffic flow on Morris Lane Jan. 6. Police asked the driver to move it into her driveway.

On Jan. 7, police wrote a summons to the owner of a car parked at Madison Road and Boulevard, in violation of overnight parking rules.

On Jan. 8, while on routine patrol on East Parkway, police observed a white 2019
Chevy Equinox, with a CA plate, traveling eastbound on Popham Rd. The vehicle made an improper U-turn at Scarsdale Ave. to travel westbound on Popham Rd. A traffic stop was initiated at Garth and Popham roads. The operator of the vehicle was identified and issued the following summonses: operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration, an unregistered motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, an inspection violation and an illegal U-Turn from the wrong lane. The vehicle was towed to the police impound lot, inventoried, and photographed. The key fob and plates were vouchered for safekeeping.

The highway department was notified about sewage backing up into a Brewster Road house Jan. 7.

Lost and found
On Jan. 3, a caller, who lives in Scarsdale, reported losing her passport in Patterson, NJ. She said her passport was in a jacket pocket and the jacket was stolen in Patterson on Jan. 1. Police advised the caller she had to report the matter in the jurisdiction in which he crime occurred, namely Patterson. The caller alleged that Patterson police instead told her to report the incident where she lives, namely in Scarsdale. Scarsdale police called Patterson police, and they agreed to accept to report.

Firefighters
Firefighters shut down a HVAC system emitting an odor from its air handler in an Ogden Road house Jan. 3. They advised the homeowner to call for service.

Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a gas odor in an unoccupied Whig Road house under renovation. After seeing the state of the renovations, Con Edison was going to remove the meter and cap gas service to the house, as per the fire department’s log. The building department was notified for follow-up.

A car left running in an attached garage to a Madison Road house resulted in elevated carbon monoxide levels inside the house Jan. 4. Firefighters ventilated the house and the CO readings returned to normal.

Firefighters shut down a work site involving an excavation trench lacking proper shoring on Windmill Circle Jan. 4. The matter was referred to the building and engineering departments for follow-up.

Firefighters assisted at a car accident on the Hutchinson River Parkway Jan. 5.

Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a gas odor, and suspected gas leak, coming from the sewer system and storm drains on Boulevard. A concentration of natural gas was found in a telephone vault on Boulevard. Con Edison Gas took over the situation to locate the source of the gas and address the matter.

Firefighters shut down a circuit breaker to a light fixture affected by a water leak in a Palmer Avenue structure Jan. 6.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Jan. 2-8 has been compiled from official information.

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