Police Search for Muggers on the Run in Greenacres

Quick work by a volunteer NYC fireman lead to the arrest of three young robbers on Thursday morning August 23rd. Early that day, the fireman saw three young men run across Kitttrel Park in White Plains and jump into a Mitsubishi already occupied by two men. He also saw a man who had been mugged on Westmoreland Avenue. He called the police and pursued the car. At 7:46 am Scarsdale Police responded to a call for assistance from the White Plains Police Department and stopped the car at the corner of Walworth and Claremont in Greenacres. Two of the men had fled, but three were caught inside. Police later learned that three of the occupants of the car had beaten and robbed a taxi driver in White Plains.

Police immediately began a search for the two fleeing suspects - one who was wearing a black hoodie and the other a white t-shirt and pajama pants. The White Plains Police brought in a K-9 team and the black hoodie sweatshirt was found in the front yard of a home on Claremont Road. Police spoke to the residents as well as homeowners along Claremont Road and Greenacres Avenue. No one had seen or heard anything unusual.

The three young men in the car were identified as Salvatore Defonce, age 18, Kevin Doyle, age 18 and Domenick Ricotta, age 19, all from Harrison. They were arrested for first and second degree robbery and fourth degree conspiracy. The cab driver suffered a broken nose and injuries to his eyes. Police are still looking for the other two suspects.

Arrest: Brian Sanchez age 21, a greeter at the Ritz Carleton in White Plains, was arrested on the strength of a bench warrant on August 21. He was arraigned at Scarsdale Village Court and released on $250 cash bail.

Mini Cooper in Flames: At 4 am on August 21 a Stratton Road man heard a popping sound from the front of the house, looked out the window and saw that his wife’s 2004 Mini Cooper was in flames. No one was in or around the car and the gas cap was intact. Police could not determine the source of the fire.

Loaner on the Lam: Lexus of Greenwich called police on August 21 to say that man from Wayside Lane in Scarsdale had dropped off his car for service two weeks ago and taken a loaner car. The man had not returned with the dealer’s car and they were unable to reach him. Police also failed to contact the driver.

Death: The wife of Nicholas Chantiles age 87 called police on the morning of 8/21 to report that her husband had passed away. Mr. Chantiles had been suffering from prostate cancer. His doctor was called to sign the death certificate.

Harassed: A Secor Road woman complained of harassment. She was attempting to arrange a bachelorette party for a friend and asked if she could use her fiancées apartment. In response she received a threatening message on Facebook and feared for her safety.

A Nelson Road woman reported the receipt of strange text messages from an international number since July 7th. The texter threatened to “track her down” if she didn’t tell him what he wanted to know so she reported the incidents to the police on 8/20 and also said she would contact Verizon to block the number.

Missing: A Drake Road man complained that 20 pieces of split red oak had been stolen from a wood pile at the end of his driveway on 8/21/12.

A Rock Creek Lane man reported that someone had removed four blank checks from his desk drawer in his office in the city and forged them. One check for $2,700 and another for $1,000 were written and the bank was notified.

A 19 year-old Eastchester girl complained that her iPhone was stolen from her purse while it was in the dressing room at LF on Boniface Circle in Scarsdale Village on August 24th. The locating device showed that the phone was in Yonkers.

A Cambridge Road reported that a sterling silver set with service for 18 as well as nine serving pieces and a wooden chest had disappeared from his home sometime between July 9 and July 31. He contacted his ex-wife and her lawyer who said that she did not have the missing silver. He also noted that his home was on the market and many people had been in and out of the house recently.

Found: A bag of tools in a Craftsman bag atop a black dolly was found on the sidewalk in front of the Chase Bank on East Parkway at 5:20 pm on August 19th. Police found identification for the electricians who owned the bag inside and contacted them. The bag was taken to police headquarters for safekeeping.

Abuse: The Program Director at the ARC Residential Home on Foxhall Road reported that on 8/16 one of the staff members was too rough with one of the patients and “dragged her into the house when she had a hard time walking.” The patient was not injured. Westchester ARC began an investigation but put it on hold while the Scarsdale Police Department looked into it.

Police received a complaint about flyers for “IDriveYourCar.com” posted on Griffen Road on August 20. Police asked the Department of Public Works to remove the flyers and also contacted the corporate office of I Drive Your Car and served them with a summons for posting the flyers.

Musical mornings: At 8 am on 8/22 police received a complaint from a Wayside Road man about loud music coming from a construction site on Rectory Lane. Police found that the noise was coming from the high school where the field hockey coach was playing music during practice.

Who’s there? At 3 pm on 8/23 an Oneida Road woman called police to report that she returned home and heard someone in her basement. Police came to investigate and discovered the woman’s son downstairs. They brought him upstairs and the woman confirmed that the young man was hers!

Strange: At 4 pm on 8/23 police got a report that a man was sitting in a black car and watching kids play soccer through a pair of binoculars. Police spoke to the man who said he was watching the game. Police scanned the man’s license and as he had no record they permitted him to stay.