Quaker Ridge man arrested for allegedly assaulting appliance repairman

On Jan. 15, police arrested Philip Jacobs, 71, of Scarsdale, on charges of third-degree assault and second-degree menacing, after Jacobs allegedly punched an appliance repairman in the face following an altercation about services performed and payment requested. When police arrived on the scene, the repairman had wet and dried blood on his face, apparently from his nose. He said he had replaced a part in a broken appliance, and an argument ensued over payment. He said he offered to waive the labor charge from the bill, but Jacobs allegedly refused to pay for the part. At that time, the repairman allegedly sat on the floor and started to remove the part that had recently been installed. Jacobs allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife, stood over the repairman and started screaming for the repairman to get out of his house. He threw cash at the repairman, which the repairman refused. The repairman said he was scared and just wanted to leave; so he called 911 as he was walking out of the house. As he was doing so, Jacobs allegedly hit the repairman in the face from behind, sending him forward and causing his face to hit the kitchen floor. This caused the repairman's nose to bleed. Jacobs was uncooperative with patrol. He refused to provide his name, was yelling at patrol to get off his property and attempted to close the door in patrol's face. He was arrested, booked at headquarters and released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on Jan. 20. A temporary order of protection was issued in favor of the repairman.

Missing jewelry
A Madison Road housekeeper told police she had been questioned by her employers regarding jewelry that the employers found missing from their house Jan. 15. The housekeeper reported the incident because she felt "uncomfortable with the way she was being questioned and harassed." She said she had worked for her employers for 18 years. Patrol called the woman's employers. They said jewelry was missing and they simply wanted to question everyone who has had access to their house. They said they were convinced the housekeeper had nothing to do with the missing jewelry, and the housekeeper could continue working there. They did not want to file a report about the missing jewelry.

Car break-ins
A woman reported her 2012 Lexus was broken into while parked in her Windmill Circle driveway, and her red Prada $1,250 pocketbook was stolen from the back seat between 5:30 and 6 p.m., Jan. 13. The purse contained a $600 Louis Vuitton wallet, $100 cash, credit cards, personal papers and a driver's license. The suspect smashed a window to open the car and steal the items. Later, on Jan. 17, a Post Road resident reported finding a red handbag in bushes on his property. It had been emptied out and a few items were lying on the ground next to it. These included a cell phone charger, a set of keys and personal papers. These items were returned to the Windmill Circle woman.

Identity theft
On Jan. 13, a Stratton Road man reported someone fraudulently opened a Kohl's credit card in his name and purchased $600 in merchandise online.
On Jan. 17, an Aspen Road man reported several accounts were fraudulently opened in his name. The accounts were allegedly opened by a man arrested in Nassau County who had a fraudulent driver's license and several credit cards in the Aspen Road man's name.

Criminal mischief
Graffiti was found inside the water tower stairwell on Garden Road Jan. 14. The graffiti read "JEFF 97." It was applied in gray paint, with a paint roller. The door to the stairwell might have been pried open, but it was unclear if the pry markings were old. Water department employees said they found the door unlocked when they went to the water tower that morning.

Stay Away
On Jan. 11, patrol advised a man to stay away from his ex-fiance and her family, based on a request from the family.

Chair
On Jan. 11, a Boulevard resident reported one of the chairs on his back porch was turned approximately 90 degree and moved about two feet. No other chairs were disturbed, and the resident did not think it was a result of wind.

Elevator
A woman got stuck in the Freightway Garage elevator and eventually got the door to open on the third floor, where she exited Jan. 12. Patrol left a message for the department of public works, for repair. On Jan. 15, another woman got stuck in the same elevator. The fire department responded and opened the doors to release the woman. The elevator was placed out of service and the department of public works was notified for repair.

Suspicious?
A gray work van allegedly followed a Richbell Close man, in his car, home from the Scarsdale train station after midnight Jan. 12. The man drove a roundabout way, and the van continued to follow him. Once the man was home, the driver of the gray van engaged the man's friend on conversation and asked the man's friend for directions to Hartsdale train station.
A man, who was lying on a stone wall on Crane Road, said he was waiting to be picked up and did not need any medical assistance Jan. 13.
A Penn Boulevard woman reported a man in a dark colored car, parked across the street from her house, was attempting to take photos of her Jan. 14. Police approached the man, who was watching an unrelated video on his cell phone. He said his wife works in a nearby house, and he was waiting to pick her up.

Intoxicated woman
An intoxicated woman was kicking a Richbell Road door in an attempt to be let into the house at 11 p.m., Jan. 17. The homeowner said he did not know the woman and wanted her to leave. The woman was disoriented and intoxicated and police helped her arrange for a taxi to drive her home. She said she would pay for the damaged door.

Process server
A Meadow Road woman reported a man rang her doorbell and asked for her husband, who was not home, Jan. 13. The man then got back in his car and was waiting outside her house. Police questioned the man. He identified himself as a legal process server, who had ben unsuccessful in serving a civil summons against the woman's husband.

Personal papers
A concerned caller reported a filing cabinet containing tax returns and sensitive personal information had been placed at the curb for bulk trash pickup on Meadow Road Jan. 13. Patrol attempted to contact the homeowner but found the house empty. In the meantime, police attempted to conceal the files by placing other items around the cabinet. A phone message was left for the owner, and the owner returned the call. He said he was unaware that personal papers had been discarded in bulk trash. When police rode by the house again, the trash, including the files, had been removed by the sanitation department.

Drone
A Brewster Road resident reported a drone camera hade been flying in his backyard and crashed Jan. 15. It was approximately one foot wide and had a forward-facing camera attached to it. No serial number could be found on the device.

Welfare check
A Chesterfield woman asked police to check the welfare of her husband and daughter who were home but could not be reached due to phone trouble Jan. 15. The husband was home and fine. The daughter was at the gym.

Help
An elderly man stopped at headquarters to ask for directions at 7 p.m., Jan. 15. He told police he was having trouble driving in the dark. Patrol helped him contact his son who picked him up and gave him a ride home. The man left his car in the police station parking lot overnight.

Cars and roadways
Police wrapped up and secured a fallen phone wire at Post and Sprague roads Jan. 12.
Police closed Grand Park Avenue because of a fallen tree Jan. 12.
Cardboard and boxes blew into Boulder Brook and Sycamore roads Jan. 13. Patrol gathered the debris and placed it in a nearby yard for sanitation pickup later that day.
Police directed traffic around a disabled truck with a detached trailer on Popham Road while the driver moved the truck and trailer onto Depot Place for repairs Jan. 14.
A stop sign fell down at Overhill and Circle roads Jan. 14. Police made temporary repairs and notified the highway department for replacement.
Police notified the highway department of a pothole at Palmer Avenue and Heathcote Road Jan. 14.
Four car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Civil matter
A man reported his ex-wife refused to release their children to him Jan. 16. Due to a change in the man's work shift hours, the custody arrangement needed to be altered, the man said. Police advised him to speak with his lawyer and resolve the civil matter through the court system.

Dogs
A woman reported that two German Shepherds lunged at her while she was walking her dogs on Penn Boulevard on Jan. 11. The animal control officer spoke with the German Shepherds' owner, a Gatehouse Road resident, who said she would instruct her dog walker to not allow her dogs to make contact with other dogs. On Jan. 12, the German Shepherds got loose and were barking loudly and acting aggressively toward other dogs in the neighborhood. Patrol spoke with their owner, who said the dogs actually belonged to her ex-husband. She called him, and he stated the dogs were too aggressive to be in a residential neighborhood. He said he would come and take possession of the dogs later that day. Patrol issued two village code summonses to the Gatehouse Road owner of the dogs.

Village code
Patrol removed an illegal sign advertising a "canine kindergarten" business that had been posted on Post Road Jan. 15. Patrol issued a summons to the business owner listed on the sign.

Lost and found
A New Jersey woman reported losing her wallet somewhere in the village while visiting her grandchildren Jan. 16. She said she last saw the wallet while picking up her kids from Greenacres Elementary School.

Firefighters
Firefighters assisted a Gorham Court homeowner shut down a faulty stove Jan. 11.
Firefighters shut down a malfunctioning elevator in Freightway Garage Jan. 12.
Firefighters cleaned up spilled automotive fluids from Weaver Street Jan. 13.
A Hamilton Road resident was accidentally locked outside her house Jan. 14. Firefighters helped the resident get back inside.
On Jan. 15, firefighters helped a person get out of a stuck elevator in Freightway Garage. The elevator was put out of service.
This week, firefighters assisted at two car accidents on the Bronx River Parkway and Hutchinson River Parkway. They responded to 14 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, smoke from a 3D printer, cooking smoke, shower steam, battery replacement and burnt bacon.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Jan. 11-17 was compiled from official information.

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