Garth Road Bank Robbed, Rash of Burglaries Keep Residents on Alert

Around 1 p.m., Nov. 6, Eastchester police were called to Country Bank, on Garth Road, for a reported robbery. The suspect was described as a Hispanic woman, approximately 5 feet, five inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes, a brown jacket and a white hoodie. She handed a teller a note demanding money and threatened she had a weapon; however, she did not show a weapon. After grabbing the cash, she fled north on Garth Road in a dark colored station wagon. It was suspected another person was possibly involved.

Scarsdale police assisted Eastchester police canvas the area for the suspects. They also informed other area banks about the robbery. Eastchester detectives interviewed witnesses and reviewed bank surveillance tapes to develop investigative leads, which proved fruitful.

Eastchester Police Chief Timothy Bonci announced in a statement, "Detectives were able to develop information which led them to a location in the Bronx where two suspects were apprehended without incident." The suspects – Erin Dzikas, 30, of the Bronx, and Emilio Alvardado, 28, of Homestead, Florida – were arrested Nov. 8 and charged with third-degree robbery. They were arraigned in Eastchester Town Court and are being held at Westchester County jail on $300,000 bonds.

New York City police, Yonkers police and the FBI Major Case Squad assisted Eastchester police in the arrests.

"This case was a major case solved within 48 hours, culminating with the arrest of the two individuals responsible for the robbery," Bonci said.

Attempted Burglaries

A rash of burglaries in the county has prompted police to advise residents to keep lights on while not at home as a precaution. Lights will make houses seem occupied and dissuade burglars from targeting those homes. Police told "Scarsdale 10583" that burglaries of occupied houses are extremely rare because burglars typically avoid confrontation with residents. In Scarsdale this year, there have been six burglaries and three attempted burglaries to date. According to Lt. Thomas Altizio, "[Scarsdale's] burglary rate, this year in particular, is very low for the lower Westchester region." This week included two attempted burglaries – one in Quaker Ridge and one in Greenacres.

An alarm alerted police to an attempted burglary at a Brittany Close house around 7:30 p.m., Nov. 7. On scene, police noticed a small panel in a kitchen window had been broken. Further investigation showed the screen had been pried from the window frame. According to police, it appeared the suspect fled after the alarm was activated by the suspect's attempt to open the window. The interior alarm was not tripped; so it appeared the suspect did not enter the house. Police checked the interior of the house, and nothing appeared to be out of place.

On Nov. 9, a house sitter reported an attempted burglary at a Walworth Avenue house. The house sitter said he was sleeping on the third floor of the house at approximately 5:30 p.m., when he heard a loud noise on the first floor. He went downstairs to investigate and saw the rear sliding glass door in a study had been shattered. He promptly called police. The matter is under active investigation.

Criminal Mischief

On Nov. 8, a construction foreman reported someone broke into a Hampton Road house under construction. According to the foreman, one of his workers arrived at the house at 8:30 a.m. and found two of the three garage doors were open. Broken glass shards were scattered on the ground in close proximity to a car parked in the garage. The car appeared to have been entered. Police are following up.

Suspect Flees on Foot

At 2:45 a.m., Nov. 8, a man drove through a police checkpoint at Fenimore Road and the Bronx River Parkway. Westchester County police advised the suspect fled on foot and might have had visible injuries.

Identity Theft Scam

A man with a foreign accent called a Ridgecrest East resident alleging to be from the Internal Revenue Service Nov. 3. The caller stated the resident owed $3,946.85 in alleged tax fraud. The caller asked the resident for personal information and threatened to cancel the resident's credit cards and block his passport if the resident did not provide the information. In response to the threats, the resident initially provided the last four digits of his Social Security number and income information to the caller. However, the resident soon realized the call was probably fraudulent and ended it. Police advised the resident to monitor his credit report for suspicious activity.

Text Messages

A Quaker Ridge man reported someone sent a "scam message" to his daughter's cell phone Nov. 6. Patrol showed the man how to manipulate the phone to block the person who sent the message.

Light fixture

Strong winds blew over a light fixture at a Wakefield Road house and the homeowner was concerned about it possibly injuring someone Nov. 3. Police examined the fixture, and noted the wiring and insulation were intact. The only apparent damage was to the wooden pole supporting the fixture. Patrol advised the homeowner to shut power to the fixture and call an electrician for repair.

Repair

The emergency callbox inside the elevator at Freightway Garage was not working properly Nov. 4. Police reported the problem to Verizon and asked that the repair request be given "urgent" status.

Help

A caller noticed an elderly woman appeared disoriented on Scarsdale Avenue and called police Nov. 6. Patrol arrived, and the woman said she had taken a walk and got lost. She provided patrol with her daughter's contact information. After patrol spoke with the woman's daughter, the woman's grandson picked up the woman.

Fall

On Nov. 7, a 65-year-old woman came to headquarters to report she fell down the stairs at the Scarsdale train station and sustained injuries on Oct. 20. The woman said she fell down the stairway that connects the platform with the Popham Road Bridge, thus injuring her head, right arm and left leg. She showed police the location of the fall, and police photographed the staircase.

Bicyclist

A driver called police to report she struck a bicyclist while backing up her car on East Parkway, and the uninjured bicyclist rode away Nov. 6.

Cars and Roadways

Police issued a summons to the driver of a parked car facing the wrong direction on Ridgecrest East Nov. 3.

Patrol moved a fallen wire to the side of Murray Hill Road and notified the utility provider Nov. 3.

Patrol issued summonses to the drivers of illegally parked cars on Ridgecrest East and Ridgecrest West Nov. 4.

Patrol secured a loose wire on Post Road and notified the Verizon Nov. 5.

Patrol informed the highway department about a damaged light bulb on East Parkway Nov. 5.

Residents and drivers have been complaining about a ParaTransit van that stops to pick up patients on Post Road every week. Standing on Post Road is a violation of vehicle and traffic law. On Nov. 5, patrol addressed the situation with the driver of the van, as well as with her supervisor. The supervisor said he would address the situation to seek an acceptable solution.

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

Animals

A Post Road man arrived home to find six deer in his yard shortly before midnight Nov. 4. The man asked patrol to scare away the deer and escort the man into the house for safety. Patrol used lights and sirens to startle the deer, causing them to flee into the woods.

A loose dog walked into a Cornell Street garage and the homeowner called police Nov. 3. Eventually, the dog jumped into the car driven by the friend of the homeowner. Police called New Rochelle Humane Society and learned someone had reported a missing dog, matching the description of the found dog. New Rochelle Humane Society notified the owner who came to the Cornell Street house and retrieved her dog. She said workers at her house must have left the gate surrounding her yard open. Patrol issued her a summons for having a dog at large.

Police reunited a loose dog with its owner after a village resident found the dog on Fayette Road Nov. 6.

On Nov. 9, a Gatehouse Road resident reported her neighbor's dog was in her yard. She described the dog as aggressive. Patrol spoke with the neighbor who apologized and retrieved the dog. She said her landscaper must have accidentally let the dog get out.

Village Code

Window salesmen were advised they needed a permit to legally solicit in the village Nov. 3.

Patrol issued a Murray Hill Road landscaper a summons for using two or more gas-powered leaf blowers within 100 yards of each other Nov. 7.

Police dispersed a group of kids from Edgewood School playground after dark Nov. 7.

Patrol issued summons to landscapers using gas-powered leaf blowers in violation of village code on Clarence and Sprague roads Nov. 8.

A woman was walking her dog on a paved pathway near a playing field located on Heathcote School grounds Nov. 8. Police advised her village code forbids the presence of dogs on school grounds and issued her a warning.

People were setting off fireworks on Tunstall Road Nov. 8. They left the area before police arrived.

Lost and found

Highway department workers found and retrieved a set of keys from the storm drain in front of Rothman's store on Boniface Circle Nov. 6. The keys were taken to headquarters for safekeeping. Police noticed a CVS tag on the key ring and went to the CVS store on Popham Road in an attempt to locate the keys' owner. The manager said he would not release any information about the tag's owner but would try to contact the owner instead.

On Nov. 6, a woman reported losing her driver's license. She thought she lost it either in the downtown business district or in Connecticut where she takes classes. She also reported the missing license to Hartford, Connecticut, police.

One man reported losing a license plate in the village this week.

Fire

Firefighters shut down a boiler in a Barry Road house and advised the homeowner to service it before using it again Nov. 5.

An alarm panel in a Whig Road house overheated and released an odor of burning plastic Nov. 7. Firefighters de-energized the panel and advised the homeowner to have the system serviced.

On Nov. 8, firefighters responded to an alarm in the Christie Place condominium complex. Lobby personnel were complaining about a gas odor in one of the apartments. Carbon monoxide was detected in the lobby and hallways; so firefighters started positive pressure ventilation. Investigation traced the source of the carbon monoxide to four or five gasoline-powered pressure washers on the first floor of the parking garage. Firefighters ordered employees to stop using the pressure washers without adequate ventilation. They also continued ventilating the building and checked all apartments to make sure they were safe from carbon monoxide.

Firefighters helped Con Edison employees check a Brewster Road house for a possible gas leak Nov. 8. The house showed no evidence of natural gas infiltration.

A Lockwood Road resident reported a suspected gas odor in her house Nov. 9. Firefighters checked the house with gas meters and found no evidence of gas. They deduced the gas odor was caused by the application of fresh paint.

The Girl Scout House on Wayside Lane was evacuated because of a natural gas odor Nov. 9. After checking the building and the surrounding area, firefighters and Con Edison workers determined the odor was coming from a natural gas leak outside. Scouts were then allowed to safely re-enter the building.

A Colvin Road resident accidentally got locked outside her house Nov. 9. Firefighters opened the door to let her back inside.

Firefighters shut the electrical connection to a malfunctioning stove in a Ridgecrest West house Nov. 9. They advised the owner to call for repair.

This week, firefighters assisted at 3 car accidents in the village and on parkways. They responded to12 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, construction dust, cooking smoke, iron steam, a steam cleaner and burnt toast.

Scarsdale Village Justice Court

The case of Gregory C. Alphin, charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and aggravated DWI on April 2, was waived to Grand Jury.

Samantha Cole pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of a registration violation and was fined $168.

Marvin Jimenez Duarte pleaded guilty to the reduced charges of driving without a license and a registration violation. He was fined $336.

Jackie R. Norman was arraigned on charges of DWI (first offense) and aggravated DWI. The case was adjourned, and a hardship hearing was scheduled for Nov. 12.

Kevin L. Pierre pleaded guilty to the reduced charges of driving without a license and disobeying a traffic control device. He was fined $336.

Ronald Prunesti pleaded guilty to DWI (first offense). His license was revoked for six months, and he was fined $900. He was ordered to attend a MADD Victim Impact Panel and a drinking and driving program organized by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles. He was ordered to install an ignition interlock device in his car for three years, and he was assigned to three years probation.

Lizardo R. Rios pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of a registration violation and was fined $168.

The court issued one bench warrant, one arrest warrant and three warrant letters to defendants who did not appear in court as directed.

Adjourned cases included the following charges: DWI (first offense), DWI with a blood alcohol level of .08 of one percent, various vehicle and traffic offenses and village code violations.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Nov. 3-9 and the Scarsdale Village Justice Court calendar from Nov. 5 was compiled from official information.

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