Police Arrest Three for Stealing and Altering Checks

This week, police made headway on crimes involving stolen and altered checks with three arrests. On Oct. 21, Latroya McCalvin, 24, from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, was arrested on charges of third-degree grand larceny and second-degree possession of a forged instrument. McCalvin is accused of depositing a fraudulent check in the amount of $5,000 into her Diamond Credit Union account on Sept. 18. On Sept. 22, McCalvin made two withdrawals from the account – for $4,000 and $500. The fraudulent check was written against a Grand Park Avenue man's account. McCalvin was arraigned at Scarsdale Village Justice Court and released on $1,000 cash bail, paid by her mother. She appeared in court on Oct. 22, and the case was adjourned to Nov. 19. A temporary order of protection was issued in favor of the Grand Park Avenue man.

On Oct. 21, police also arrested Carissa Ceara Anthony Chandler, 24, of the Bronx, on charges of fourth-degree grand larceny and third-degree possession of a forged instrument. Chandler is accused of cashing two fraudulent checks written against a Mamaroneck Road woman's bank account. Chandler was released on $250 cash bail. She was ordered to appear in court again on Oct. 22.

On Oct. 23, Devon Wright, 22, of the Bronx, was arrested on charges of petit larceny (two counts) and third-degree possession of a forged instrument (two counts). The charges stemmed from two separate incidents in which Wright allegedly altered and cashed checks written by Scarsdale residents. The first incident involved two checks written by a Madison Road man – one to Ronald McDonald Foundation for $70 and one to a utility company for $200. The checks were left in a public mailbox at the intersection of Bradley and Locust roads for mailing. Wright is accused of altering the payee's names and payment amounts on these checks. The $70 check was altered to $470 and made payable to Devon Dumar Wright. The $200 check was altered to $925.55 and made payable to another individual. On July 31, Wright allegedly cashed the check for $470 at a New Rochelle bank, using his passport for identification. The check for $925.55 was intercepted at a bank and flagged as suspicious without being cashed. The second incident involved a $200 check written to Scarsdale Adult School by a Boulevard woman on August 1. She attempted to mail the check at a public mailbox at Boulevard and Gaylor Road. On September 2, the woman received an email from the Adult School, stating her payment had not yet been received. Investigation determined Wright altered the $200 check to $480 and made it payable to himself. During an interview at headquarters, Wright admitted to cashing the check at a bank in Bronxville, using his passport for identification. Following his arrest, Wright was released on his own recognizance. He was instructed to appear at Scarsdale Village Justice Court on Oct. 29.

Harassment arrest
On Oct. 22, John Petro, 47, of South Richmond Hill, was arrested on charges of first-degree harassment in the form of stalking. The alleged victim in the case is a 47-year-old Yonkers man, identified as an acquaintance of Petro. Petro was arraigned at Scarsdale Village Justice Court, where Judge John Galloway issued an order of protection in favor of the victim. Petro was released on his own recognizance with a return court date of Oct. 29.

Identity theft
On Oct. 21, a Southwoods Lane man reported his Social Security number was used to file a fraudulent tax return.
On Oct. 25, a Kingston Road man reported five fraudulent checks were written against his Chase Bank account from Oct. 1 through Oct. 19. The checks were written for the following amounts: $8,460, $3,850, $2,750, and two checks for $1,800. Chase's fraud department is following up.

Phishing
A Dolma Road woman received an email asking for personal information Oct. 22. Because she believed the email was a legitimate notification about fraudulent activity on her credit card account, she provided personal data on an online form. Later, she realized the email was most likely a phishing scam, and her credit card provider confirmed this.

Scam
A 56-year-old Hutchinson Avenue man received a call from a person who identified himself as an "IRS agent" Oct. 23. The caller demanded a payment of $6,980.70 for alleged overdue taxes and threatened to issue an arrest warrant if the man did not pay the money immediately. The caller instructed the man to purchase "Reload-it" money cards. The man's wife purchased $4,500 in cards and transferred the money to the caller. The man contacted the caller with some suspicions, and the caller said the money would be fully refunded if police contacted him. Police attempted to contact the caller, but he did not answer. Police advised the couple to report the incident to the credit monitoring bureaus.

Harassment
An Edgewood resident reported harassment by a former employee Oct. 24. According to the man, the former employee has been sending him unwanted emails, texts and voicemails since the employee was fired Oct. 1. The former employee has also been sending similar forms of communication to former coworkers regarding his termination. As the messages continued, they allegedly became "more and more strange and in some instances had threatening undertones." The company's legal counsel sent a letter to the former employee, advising him to cease and desist. Communication stopped for a few days but recently resumed, the man said. Patrol called the former employee and advised him to stop all communication with the man and his former coworkers. The former employee agreed to stop all future communication, except for contact involving a fantasy football league and letters of recommendation.

Criminal mischief
A Wheelock Road resident said approximately four kids rang her doorbell, banged on her door and hit her mailbox before they ran away across her front lawn at 9:30 p.m., Oct. 24. Police canvassed the area but did not find the kids.

Help
Police located a lost 86-year-old woman in Eastchester near Scarsdale Avenue Oct. 20. The woman had wandered away from her daughter's house about 25 minutes before the daughter called police. Officers determined the woman did not need medical assistance and drove her to her daughter's house.

A pedestrian flagged down a police officer on Garth Road to assist with an elderly woman who appeared lost Oct. 24. Using information from a medical alert bracelet, police contacted the woman's son, who said his family had been looking for the woman. Patrol waited with the woman until her husband and a health aide picked her up.

Head banger
On Oct. 20, a man called police to report a possibly disoriented woman at Greenacres School playground at 5:45 p.m., Oct. 20. According to the man, the Asian woman, approximately 40-50 years old, was banging her head against her hands. She was accompanied by a young child who did not appear to be scared or in distress. The woman and child left the playground before police arrived.

Candy
A Cushman Road woman reported possibly suspicious activity outside her house Oct. 20. The woman told police she heard a knock on the door, but no one was there when she answered it. On her doorstep, she found a bag of candy with a note addressed to her children. The note stated the children should knock on another friend's door and leave a bag of candy. Police determined it was a harmless Halloween tradition.

Suspicious
A caller reported a woman was possibly accosted by an unknown man on Myrtledale Road Oct. 20.

At 10 p.m., Oct. 20, a caller reported seeing a short man, dressed in a hockey mask, a denim jacket and jeans, walking west on Boulevard. Police canvassed the area but did not see anyone matching the alleged man's description.
A caller was worried about an abandoned bag near an East Parkway trash can Oct. 25. The bag was described as pink with butterflies. It was empty and worn. Patrol deduced it had been discarded as trash.

Intruders?
A Sage Terrace woman saw someone on her property and thought it was a possible intruder Oct. 21. She asked police to check her house and advised she was hiding in a second-floor closet. When police arrived, the woman identified the man on her property as her landscaper. She said she did not realize he would be working at her house that day, and she got startled.

On Oct. 22, an Ardmore Road woman reported someone might have entered her house without her knowledge or permission. According to the woman, a wet umbrella was lying on her kitchen table, and a dresser drawer was found open. Police checked the house and could not find any sign of criminal activity. Nor was anything missing from the woman's house.

Locked door
Responding to a call for help, police and firefighters went to a Greenacres Avenue house, where a group of 4-year-old girls accidentally locked themselves in a bathroom Oct. 22. By the time police and firefighters arrived, the homeowner had already managed to unlock the door and release the girls. They were unharmed.

Car sick
A Roosevelt Place resident reported two men arguing in a car outside her house at 5:30 a.m., Oct. 24. On scene, patrol spoke to the driver who said he was the designated driver for a friend's birthday party. He stated he dropped a friend off at a Roosevelt Place house, and another friend vomited in the backseat of his car. He said the commotion was in reaction to the vomit – not an altercation.

Cars and roadways
A truck driver was lost on Crane Road Oct. 20. Patrol directed the driver to Ogden Road.

On Oct. 21, police put flares around a disabled bus at Post and Mamaroneck roads. Police placed a reflective traffic cone and warning triangle in a large hole on Fox Meadow Road Oct. 22. The hole was the result of ongoing road repair.

A 1998 Honda Civic became disabled near Weaver Street and Penn Boulevard Oct. 23. The driver called for help from AAA, but AAA did not show up as scheduled. Police arranged for a tow truck to move the car instead.

A parked car was mistakenly left running on Brewster Road Oct. 23. Patrol contacted the registered owner who arrived and turned off the car's engine.

Police notified the highway department about a broken storm drain on Christie Place Oct. 23.

Patrol issued a parking summons to the driver of a car parked too close to a fire hydrant on Brown Road Oct. 23.

A Carman Road resident complained about a van parked on his lawn at 5 p.m., Oct. 23. The driver said he was waiting to pick up a woman employed by a Bradley Road family. Patrol advised the driver to obey all posted traffic signs and refrain from parking on private property. Patrol also issued the driver a summons for a broken brake light.

A car parked on Chase Road was left with its trunk wide open, exposing luggage inside on Oct. 24. Patrol's attempt to locate the car's owner was unsuccessful. However, in the meantime, a woman familiar with the trunk's closing mechanism came by and closed it.

Police notified Verizon about a loose wire dangling above Fayette Road Oct. 24.

On Oct. 25, police told a party host that parked cars were impeding traffic on Morris Lane. Patrol advised party guests to park only on one side of the street.

Police mediated a dispute between two drivers at Catherine and Wheelock roads on Oct. 26. The drivers relayed different accounts of what had occurred. However, they agreed that no threats were made, and their dispute never become physical. Police advised them to end the incident without escalation, and both drivers agreed.

This week, nine car accidents were reported in the village.

Civil matter
A former mechanic from a Scarsdale Avenue auto repair shop asked police to document a civil matter Oct. 24. The mechanic said he was fired from his job Oct. 16; yet he was still owed four days of pay, which he had unsuccessfully attempted to get from his former employer.

Village code
At 7:45 a.m., Oct. 20, police advised roofers on Seneca Road to cease work until a later time, in order to comply with village code.

After neighbors complained about noise, police advised party hosts on Mamaroneck Road to lower the volume of their music Oct. 23.

Pink signs advertising a tag sale on Mamaroneck Road were posted on nearby utility poles in violation of village code Oct. 24. Patrol removed the signs and issued a summons to the person who posted the signs.

People were setting off fireworks near Brite Avenue and Chesterfield Road Oct. 24. They said they were celebrating the Indian New Year. Patrol advised it was illegal to set off fireworks in New York State without a permit. The people apologized and promised to return the next day to finish cleaning up firework debris in daylight.

Police were unsuccessful in catching a dog running loose on Claremont Road Oct. 26.

Lost
On Oct. 23, a woman reported losing her driver's license while picking up her daughter from Westchester Reform Temple.

A resident reported losing a wallet in the village on Oct. 24. It contained $40 cash and ID cards.

Fire
On Oct. 20, an electric heater was burning in a first floor bathroom in a Brambach Road house. Firefighters de-energized the heater and removed it from the wall. Thermal imaging confirmed the fire had not extended to neighboring walls. However, some light burn marks were found on the drywall just above the heater. Firefighters vented light smoke from the house.

Firefighters cut power to a malfunctioning rooftop heating unit on a Palmer Avenue building Oct. 20.

Firefighters notified Con Edison about a tree in close proximity to electrical wires on Greenacres Avenue Oct. 23.

Cornell Street residents, ages 100 and 86, were accidentally locked out of their house  on Oct. 24. Firefighters helped them get back inside. The police department's Older Adult Advocate is following up.

This week, firefighters assisted at one car accident in the village. They responded to 16 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, shower steam, construction dust, a battery change, cooking smoke and hair dryer use.

Scarsdale Village Justice Court
Demetrius Borden pleaded guilty to a probation violation. He was sentenced to six months in jail, to be served concurrently with sentencing from courts in White Plains and New Rochelle.

Miriam Freedman-Carman pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated (first offense). She was fined $900 and granted a one-year conditional discharge. Her license was revoked for six months, with a 20-day stay. She was ordered to install an ignition interlock device on her car for one year and continue treatment in a drinking and driving program organized by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles. She was also ordered to attend a MADD Victim Impact Panel.

Andrea O. Gardiner pleaded guilty to the reduced charges of driving without a license and disobeying a traffic control device. She was fined $436.

Sandro Giambrone was arraigned on charges of operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a controlled substance violation, speeding (74/40) a lane violation and a turn signal violation. An evaluation by Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities was ordered, and the case was adjourned to Nov. 26.

Maureen Hart pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal contempt. She was granted a conditional discharge and fined $255, including a $50 DNA fee. The court issued a five-year permanent order of protection against her.

Judy A. Nouel pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of driving without a license and was fined $193. Bail was exonerated.

Bail was exonerated for Brian W. Sanchez. His case was adjourned to Oct. 29 for sentencing.
Victor Santana Jr. returned on warrant and was issued fines of $476 for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and speeding.

Hermin Sagassome-Morales pleaded guilty to using a gas-powered blower in violation of village code. He was fined $75.

The village prosecutor withdrew village code violation charges from one couple after they showed they were in compliance with village code regarding wetlands activity.

One case was sealed.

The court issued two warrant letters and one appearance letter to defendants who did not appear in court as directed.
Also, one defendant charged with a village code violation involving a leaf blower did not show up for his scheduled court appearance.

Adjournments included some cases with the following charges: DWI (first offense), aggravated DWI, DWI with a blood alcohol level of at least .08 of one percent, first-degree operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, third- and fourth-degree grand larceny, second-degree identity theft, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, second- and third-degree possession of a forged instrument, driving while ability impaired by drugs or alcohol, possession of marijuana, various vehicle and traffic offenses and village code violations.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Oct. 20-26 and the Scarsdale Village Justice Court calendar from Oct. 22 was compiled from official information.

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