Police investigate suspicious person talking to kids at school bus stop

According to Scarsdale Middle School officials, some students were waiting for a school bus at the corner of Greenacres and Walworth on the morning of April 1 when they noticed an adult male in a car waiting for the light to change. There was a dog in the front seat. The boys commented about the dog, and the man asked them if they wanted to pet the dog. The kids wisely refused, and the car left when the light changed. The students got on their bus, went to school and reported the incident to their House Counselor.

The Counselor contacted the police department's youth officer who sent officers to the school to interview the boys. The students were very helpful in providing the officers with a description of the man, his car and the dog. At this point in time, the police do not regard what happened as an attempt to lure the boys into the car, but they are following up by checking out the area where it occurred. Police will be monitoring the area in marked and unmarked cars, particularly at drop off and pick up times. They will do so even while we are on spring break in case they are able to locate the car and the individual for follow up.

According to an email message distributed by the middle school to parents, "This situation may provide you with a good opportunity to reinforce with your own children that they should avoid contact with strangers and should report to adults any suspicious activity."

Two men arrested for DWI

At 10:30 p.m., March 28, police arrested Katsuo Katano, 61, of Mamaroneck, on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense) and aggravated DWI following a car accident at the corner of Mamaroneck Road and Palmer Avenue. There, Katano rear-ended his 2006 Ford van into the back of a 2014 BMW, while the BMW was stopped at a red traffic light. Katano said he did not see the red light. Katano showed visible signs of intoxication and admitted to police that he "had two beers" earlier that night. Katano was unable to successfully perform field sobriety tests. An alco-sensor breath screening test and a Datamaster test each indicated a positive blood alcohol reading of .21 percent. Katano's van was impounded. Katano was released on his own recognizance to his wife. He was issued an appearance ticket for Scarsdale Village Justice Court on April 8.

At 2:30 a.m., March 29, police arrested a second person – Frank Cardillo, 30, of Scarsdale –for alleged drunk driving this week after a Continental Road man reported seeing a car drive across a neighbor's lawn and hearing a man moaning outside. After arriving on the scene, police officers noticed Cardillo lying face down on the ground beside his 1998 Chevy Blazer. Fresh tire tracks across a lawn and leading to the SUV were consistent with the witness's description of events. Police and members of Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps approached Cardillo, and Cardillo said, "I am inebriated." His eyes were glassy; his speech was blurred; and there was vomit and mucus on his face and jacket. There was also vomit inside and outside Cardillo's car. Cardillo said he left work about an hour earlier and drank vodka, beer and shots of Fireball brand liquor. As Cardillo began moving around on the ground in an attempt to get up, police noticed a handgun tucked inside Cardillo's waistband. Cardillo was instructed not to move, and police removed the handgun, as well as a pocketknife found in his pocket. Cardillo stated he had several permits for the handgun. He also had licenses to be an armed security guard. SVAC examined Cardillo, and Cardillo refused further medical treatment. While driving Cardillo to headquarters for arrest processing, Cardillo vomited out the window of the patrol car. At headquarters, Cardillo said he backed his car out of his driveway but then decided not to drive anywhere because he realized how intoxicated he was. He said he then pulled his car back onto his property. He said he began yelling and moaning because he needed help for his severely intoxicated condition. A Datamaster test measured Cardillo's blood alcohol level at .14 percent. He was charged with DWI (first offense) and DWI with a blood alcohol content of at least .08 of one percent. Cardillo's handgun was vouchered at headquarters for safekeeping while Cardillo fell asleep at headquarters. At 8 a.m., police work him up, and he was surprised to learn he had vomited in his car and in patrol's car. He remembered backing his car out of his driveway and attempting to park it again. Cardillo was released on his own recognizance with an appearance ticket for Scarsdale Village Justice Court, returnable on April 8.

Men attempt to cash fraudulent checks

On March 27, police responded to Bank of America on Wilmot Road on the report of a counterfeit check. According to the bank manager, a man came into the bank around 1:30 p.m. and attempted to cash a check for $720.30 written as "cash." Upon examination of the check, the teller realized that the signature on the check did not match the writing on the rest of the check. The teller copied the check and noticed it did not contain the security features that are present when legitimate checks are copied. As the teller was looking into the check, the man who brought the check into the bank asked to use the restroom. However, instead of using the restroom, he used the opportunity to retrieve his documents and flee the bank. Upon investigation of the incident, another bank employee stated he recognized the man from a previous attempt to cash a check fro $819.08 written to himself on March 4. Later it was determined the check had been fraudulent, and the man's Bank of America account was closed by the bank's fraud department. According tot the police report, bank officials felt the man's account was only used to facilitate such fraudulent transactions.

The fraudulent check was made out against a woman's bank account. Police contacted the woman's son and daughter. They helped their mother make necessary changes to the account to safeguard its security. They informed police that their mother wrote a check to Visa earlier this month, but the check never reached its destination after it was mailed.

On both March 27 and March 4, a second man came into the bank and attempted to cash a different fraudulent check. On March 27, the check was written for $2,863.89 from a company called "HVAC, Inc." The man did not show identification; nor did he have an account with the bank. When the teller showed suspicions regarding the check, the man left the bank without the check or the deposit slip. The deposit slip stated an alleged address in the Bronx. The suspect was described as a black man in his mid twenties, with short hair and a thin build. He was wearing jeans. Police attempted to contact HVAC Inc. by leaving a voicemail message requesting a callback.

According to the police report, bank officials alerted area branches about the incidents, and the first man that attempted to cash the fraudulent check on March 27 was later arrested by White Plains police for a similar incident in their jurisdiction. Police did not release the name of the suspect but said he was a 21-year-old man from Mount Vernon.

Car break-ins

An unlocked 2013 Cadillac Escalade parked in a Brite Avenue driveway was entered overnight March 22, and more than $50 in items were stolen. These items included $40 in quarters, $10 cash, an EZ Pass and miscellaneous children's DVDs. The owner discovered the crime upon noticing her glove box was open and heavily tossed. She reported the crime March 23.

On March 24, an Olmsted Road woman reported items had been stolen from her husband's parked car sometime between 10 p.m., March 22 and 7 a.m., March 23. The only stolen item listed in the police report was a raincoat.

Man arrested for pay bills with resident's account number

On March 27, police arrested Shamnarine Mangroo, 42, of Richmond Hill, on charges of fourth-degree grand larceny and third-degree possession of a forged instrument. According to the arrest report, Mangroo had been using a River Road resident's checking account and routing numbers to make payments to an American Express account he held jointly with his brother-in-law. Mangroo obtained the numbers from a check he found on the floor of the button factory where he works, and he used his cell phone to make the payments. During an interview with detectives, Mangroo admitted to altering a letter from Capital One Bank to reflect a non-existent banking error which was intended to serve as account verification. Following his arrest, Mangroo was released on $500 cash bail posted by his brother-in-law. He is due to appear in Scarsdale Village Justice Court on April 9.

Counterfeit checks

On March 26, a Bradley Road man reported he received a call from a check cashing business in Yonkers regarding a suspicious check. At that location, a woman attempted to cash a check for $823.56, allegedly written from the man's business account. The man said he did not know the woman and had never issued the check in question. The check cashing company held the check, and the man picked it up the next day. He reported the incident to police March 27.

Identity theft

On March 23, a Donellan Road man complained his personal information had been used to open fraudulent credit card accounts. One account was opened at Game Stop and had accumulated charges of $1,600. Other accounts were opened at Victoria's Secret, TJ Maxx, Home Goods and Marshalls. The credit card companies were informed, and the accounts were cancelled. The man was told he would not be responsible for the fraudulent charges.

On March 27, a Tunstall Road resident reported he was contacted by a Hawaiian financial institution in regard to a fraudulent credit card application submitted in January. He believed it was an isolated incident until he received a letter from the IRS informing him of a $19,000 refund. Since the man had not even filed his 2014 tax return, he contacted the IRS and reported the fraud.

Fraudulent tax return

On March 23, a Black Birch Lane woman reported someone filed fraudulent tax returns for 2013 and 2014 in her name. She learned about the fraudulent returns when attempting to file her current 2014 tax return electronically.

On March 29, a Kent Road man reported receiving correspondence from the IRS regarding a 2014 tax return that was inconsistent with the tax return he filed. He reported the return as fraudulent.

Computer scam

On March 25, a Dobbs Terrace woman reported she had been tricked by a caller who alleged he was from a "Microsoft corporation help line" and could help her remotely fix a "security breach" problem with her computer. According to the woman, the caller solicited business from her by stating her computer was having a problem. The caller then obtained remote access to her computer and "froze" the computer. In addition, the woman said she answered questions over the phone to provide personal and financial information. She first provided the man with her credit card number to pay for the "$145. Later the man called the woman and said he was having difficulty processing her credit card payment. He asked her to send him the payment by Western Union. The woman became suspicious and realized she was also locked out of her computer. She called her financial institutions to freeze all credit accounts, pending the issue of new account numbers.

Litter

A Spier Road man called police at 6:30 a.m., March 23, to report beer bottles and a skull on his front lawn. On the scene, officers determined the bottles and a toy Styrofoam skull were rubbish. The items were discarded.

Smoking

A group of four kids were sitting in and standing around a parked pickup truck and black sedan on Cayuga Road at 11 p.m., March 24. One of the kids said they had been at one kid's parent's house on Mamaroneck Road. They left the house because they wanted to smoke cigarettes. They apologized for causing concern and returned to the parent's house.

ATM

After a call from a concerned citizen at 6:30 p.m., March 26, police questioned a man working on an ATM machine inside the Chase Bank branch on Palmer Avenue. The man confirmed he was an official technician performing scheduled maintenance of the ATM's shutter mechanism.

Syringes

On March 27, a Rochambeau Road resident found six syringes on the side of his property. Police picked up the syringes and placed them in a protective sharps container until they could be disposed of properly.

Mean woman

A Garth Road man reported he misdialed when attempting to call a local deli and spoke with a woman who was "very mean" March 27. Police explained that while the woman's tone may have been unnerving, the call was not a matter necessitating police response.

Assistance

Police stood by while a Quaker Ridge woman retrieved her things from her mother's house March 25. The woman originally called police alleging her mother would not let her in the house.

Dog bite

A 16-year-old boy was bitten by a small dog on Brewster Road near the high school around 5 p.m., March 26. The dog, as well as another dog, were being walked by a person at the time. The person apologized after the dog bit the boy. The boy went to the hospital after being bitten and was advised he would have to undergo a series of rabies shots if he was unable to determine if the dog's vaccines were up to date. He hoped to track down the dog and its owner by reviewing dog license records. Patrol advised him to check with Village Hall for that information. On March 27, the boy and his mother contacted police with possible ownership information about the dog in question. Police, the boy and his mother went to a Hampton Road house, where the dog was properly identified. The homeowner said she uses a dog walking service and was unaware of a bite incident. She called her dog walker, who confirmed the bite had occurred. The homeowner provided police, the boy and his mother with paperwork documenting that the dog's vaccines were up to date. Police advised the woman to quarantine the dog for ten days, as per public health policy.

Wire down

A secondary power line ruptured on Weaver Street and fell into the roadway March 27. Patrol notified nearby residents to stay inside their houses for safety, while waiting for Con Edison to arrive.

Pedestrian struck

On March 25, a 58-year-old Sleepy Hollow construction worker was stuck by a 2003 Nissan in a Post Road driveway March 25. The Nissan was being driven by a 66-year-old Eastchester man. The construction worker was taken to White Plains Hospital Center for evaluation.

Cars and roadways

A resident complained of numerous potholes on the Heathcote Bypass March 23. Police notified the highway department for repair.

Police directed traffic around a work zone at Fenimore and Tompkins roads while members of the building department worked on a manhole Feb. 24.

On March 25, police located the drivers of four parked cars that were blocking access to Scarsdale Avenue sewers. The drivers moved their cars.

Patrol placed flares around a disabled truck at Crane and Post roads March 25. The driver was awaiting a tow.

On March 26, police asked workers to move their parked cars from Montrose Road in order to allow school buses to get through.

A driver reported getting a flat tire from a piece of loose metal on Post Road March 26. The metal was embedded in the driver's tire, and there was no other debris in the roadway.

On March 28, police notified the water department about a water main break on Taunton Road. On March 29, water from the leak was freezing and causing ice to form on the road. Police notified the highway and water departments.

Patrol stood by a parked car on Depot Place and Popham Road while a driver waited for a tow for his stalled car March 28.

A driver sustained a flat tire from a Murray Hill Road pothole March 28. Police stood by to provide a safe area while the driver changed his tire.

Six car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Lost and found

A person found a wallet on a Metro North train and brought it to headquarters March 23. It contained personal documents, cash and Chinese currency. Police attempted to contact the owner but were unsuccessful.

A Sage Terrace man reported losing his wallet somewhere in the village March 24. It contained his driver's license, credit cards, an attorney registration card and $25 cash.

On March 27, a Lyons Road man reported losing a package containing two license plates somewhere in the village.

A passerby found car keys on Brewster Road and brought them to headquarters March 29. Police attempted to find the owner but were unsuccessful.

Arrest on warrant

On March 25, Jonathan Fernandez, 22, of Mt. Vernon, turned himself in on the strength of an active bench warrant previously issued out of Scarsdale Village Justice Court. He was released on $500 cash bail and issued an appearance ticket for April 8.

Fire

Firefighters unplugged the power supply to a Penn Road sump pump with a jammed switch March 25.

Firefighters shut power to a malfunctioning air handler in a Carthage Road attic and advised the homeowner to have the unit serviced.

On March 26, alarmed by a recent gas explosion in New York City, a Catherine Road resident asked firefighters to examine her gas meter because she had allegedly been smelling gas near the meter for about a year. Firefighters' meters did not detect the presence of any gas. They notified Con Edison for follow-up.

Firefighters shut power to an arcing electrical outlet in a Post Road house March 27. They advised the resident to call an electrician for service.

Firefighters called the water department about a fire hydrant that was damaged in a car accident on Post Road March 29.

On March 29, firefighters turned off a stove in a Wakefield Road house because the owner smelled gas. Con Edison was notified.

This week, firefighters assisted at three car accidents in the village and on the Hutchinson River Parkway. They responded to two false carbon monoxide alarms and seven false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, construction work, a smoke machine, cooking smoke and dust.

This report covering police and fire department activity from March 23-29 was compiled from official information.

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