Police Report: Pastor catches man stealing laptop from Trinity Lutheran church, Jeep stolen from Heathcote Road driveway

On Aug. 16, police arrested Gregory Ketter, 52, of Yonkers, after the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church caught the suspect attempting to steal a laptop computer from the church office around 2:30 p.m., Aug. 16. When the pastor got up from his desk to get something in a different part of the church, he noticed Ketter standing near the altar. Ketter was wearing a backpack with a laptop cord hanging out of the backpack. The pastor engaged Ketter in conversation and asked if he needed any help. The pastor also asked if the church door was open, and Ketter replied "yes." The pastor asked Ketter if there was a laptop in his backpack, and Ketter proceeded to remove the laptop and return it to the place from which he had taken it. Ketter then apologized and said he didn't want to steal anything or take anything from anybody. He told the pastor he needed help paying a phone bill. While walking Ketter to the entrance door of the church, the pastor noticed the doors were damaged. They appeared to have been forced open, and a piece of wood was out of place.The pastor asked Ketter if he damaged the doors. Ketter denied damaging the doors and helped put the broken piece of wood back in place. The pastor said he was calling police, and Ketter walked outside toward Chase Road. He followed Ketter until he lost sight of him in the village. Police found Ketter at the Scarsdale train station, where he was detained and positively identified by the pastor. A search of Ketter's backpack revealed business cards for a pawnshop in Westchester and two other churches in Scarsdale, receipts, a cell phone, slips of paper with information about Scarsdale churches written on them and a small empty cylinder. Ketter was arrested on charges of petit larceny, third-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools. Investigation revealed a church video that depicted the suspect removing the laptop from the church office. Police interviewed Ketter. Following the interview, Ketter was additionally charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief and petit larceny related to a previous theft from the same church on July 24. Detectives consulted with the district attorney's office and were advised that Ketter should be automatically remanded to Westchester County Jail because he had three previous felony convictions. Ketter was arraigned at Scarsdale Village Justice Court and remanded to Westchester County Jail. He was scheduled to return to court on Aug. 17.

Stolen car
A 2014 blue Jeep Wrangler was stolen from a Heathcote Road driveway overnight Aug. 17 into Aug. 18. The car was parked in the driveway, unlocked and with the key inside. The homeowner's daughter said she normally drove the car, and she did not give anyone permission to use it. Inside the car was a hockey stick, a container of field hockey balls and the daughter's wallet. The key to the family's 2015 Mercedes Benz S50 was stolen from the inside of the Mercedes, parked next to the Jeep. During the investigation for the missing key, police determined the Mercedes's battery was dead. That is probably why the Mercedes was not taken too. Police canvassed the neighborhood for video surveillance footage that might have captured the theft or the suspects.

Identity theft
On Aug. 15, a Sheldrake Road man reported someone attempted to fraudulently withdraw $4,575 from his Webster bank account with a forged check presented to a TD bank in Lake Worth, Florida. The bank blocked the availability of the funds due to the suspicious nature of the transaction.

On Aug. 18, a Catherine Road woman reported someone opened – and attempted to open – several fraudulent credit card accounts in his name. These included a Home Depot credit card account with accumulated charges of $4,039 and declined attempts at Victoria's Secret and Macy's.

On Aug. 20, a Brookby Road woman realized her identity had been stolen when she received an unexpected Barney's credit card in the mail. A representative from Barney's fraud department told her the card was opened on Aug. 10 in New York City. It had a credit limit of $25,000. $14,000 in charges had already been placed on the card. The loss prevention department from Barney's is following up.

Criminal mischief
An Eton Road man reported a person ran a hose into his basement and allowed water to enter the basement Aug. 15. The man said he merely wished to make patrol aware of the incident in order to "assist with regular crime prevention duties."

Altercation
A tennis pro supervising a recreation department tennis camp advised of an altercation between himself and another man at the middle school tennis courts that resulted in an injury to the pro's eyelid Aug. 16. The other man was a father who came to play tennis with his daughters and soccer with his son on the tennis courts that day. The pro said he asked the man to stop playing with a soccer ball on the tennis courts during camp time. The father allegedly replied that there were no rules against it. The pro asked the father to show him a permit for using the tennis courts, and the father asked the pro to provide proof that he worked for the village and had authority to forbid playing soccer on the tennis courts. The pro allegedly stated if the father continued to kick the soccer ball on the tennis courts, the pro would confiscate the ball and return it when camp was finished. The father then allegedly continued to kick the ball, and when the pro attempted to confiscate it, the father allegedly "put his hands on" the pro and scratched his eyelid. Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps paramedics evaluated the break in the skin and thought the pro might need stitches. The pro said he has had previous interactions with the father, and he is concerned for his wellbeing. Patrol advised both men to stay away from each other. Patrol clarified that a permit is required to use village tennis courts. The father stated he did not believe the tennis pro had the proper authority to ask him to leave the tennis courts. He said he would discuss the matter further with the recreation department.

Harassment
On Aug. 20, a Lebanon Road man reported receiving threatening text messages from a former tenant. The messages alluded to hurting or killing the man, "trashing" the man's wife and moving the man's children to a better place. The tenant alleged that when she is "through with them, the man's family will have nothing." Police advised about the process of filing an order of protection.

Hacked
On Aug. 19, a Madison Road woman reported her email had been hacked, and her contacts were receiving "strange" emails that contained a link to an unknown website. Police recommended that the woman contact Yahoo regarding safe restoration of her email account.

Key
A woman asked police to help her with the key to her daughter's new house on Cambridge Road Aug. 15. She thought the lock was not working properly. Police were able to successfully open the door with the key. The dead bolt had been latched, and the woman was not aware of it.

Cars
A caller reported a six-foot-tall Hispanic man, wearing light colored shorts and a light colored shirt, attempting to enter cars on Nelson Road at 5:40 a.m., Aug. 18. He was also described as carrying a shoulder bag.

Cash
A woman found cash on the pavement in front of DeCicco's Marketplace, on East Parkway, and brought it to a police aide Aug. 18.

Dumpster
A Penn Boulevard man told police he was having trouble with a roofing contractor Aug. 19. The man was specifically upset because a garbage container used by the contractor had not yet been removed. Patrol called the number stamped on the dumpster to inquire about its removal. A representative for the carting company said a vehicle in the company's fleet was undergoing repair, and this caused a delay in the dumpster's removal. The representative said the dumpster would be removed within a day or two.

Branch
A branch from a village tree fell on a white BMW, parked on Woodland Place Aug. 19. The tree was located in Chase Park. The owner of the car said the damaged occurred while he was eating dinner in a village center restaurant.

Boxes
A caller reported two possibly suspicious boxes at Harcourt Road and Church Lane Aug. 20. Police determined the boxes were nothing but trash and moved them to the dump.

Limo
A Fox Meadow Road man called police asking for his "limo" Aug. 20. Patrol went to the man's house and spoke with him and his mother about the man's inappropriate use of the 911 emergency line.

Danger
Police received a call about youths jumping off a Post Road storage unit at 1 p.m., Aug. 21. On scene, police saw several kids. None of them were observed jumping off a storage unit. Nevertheless, police spoke with them about the hazards of jumping off storage units and advised them to refrain from such behavior.

Help
A caller reported an elderly woman "staring into the distance" in the Golden Horseshoe parking lot on Wilmot Road Aug. 15. When police approached the woman and alerted her to the caller's concerns, the woman said, "Not again." She said she was going home, got into her car and left. It was approximately 4:20 p.m.

Employees at a Boniface Circle store called police, reporting that women who resembled previous larceny suspects were in the store Aug. 20. The employee said no one saw the women commit a crime that day. Nor was there any video footage of the alleged previous crime. Furthermore, the employee said no one had reported the previous alleged larceny to police. Based on a lack of probable cause, police refrained from talking to the two women. Patrol stood by, and the women were seen leaving the store and driving away in a black 2006 Nissan Altima.

Accident
A Park Road man fell off his Vespa scooter approximately 100 yards north of his house Aug. 17. The accident was precipitated by loose stones or gravel on the roadway. The man sustained cuts and scrapes on the side of his body, and he was complaining of rib pain. He was taken to Westchester Medical Center for evaluation. Firefighters cleaned blood from the roadway following the accident.

Cars and roadways
Patrol contacted Optimum regarding a fallen cable wire on Church Lane Aug. 15.
Patrol directed traffic at the five corners intersection, at Heathcote Road and Weaver Street, while the traffic light experienced a temporary power outage Aug. 15.
Con Edison was notified about a fallen branch on a primary power line on Sherbrooke Road Aug. 15.
Police contacted a towing service for a driver with a trailer that suffered a broken wheel on Post Road Aug. 15.
After an unsuccessful attempt at removal, police informed the highway department about a snapped branch dangling precariously over Ogden Road Aug. 15.
Construction vehicles were legally parked along one side of Richbell Road Aug. 16. Patrol asked the job foreman to have his workers assist with traffic flow by spreading the parked vehicles farther apart in the future.
Police asked two drivers to move their parked cars on Lincoln Road so a resident could more easily leave her driveway Aug. 16.
On Aug. 16, police reported fallen wires on Ogden Road to Con Edison, Verizon and Cablevision.
Police moved a fallen branch to the side of Mamaroneck Road, near the intersection of Saxon Woods Road, Aug. 16. The highway department was informed.
A construction vehicle was blocking an Overhill Road driveway Aug. 16. Patrol found the driver and asked him to move the car. Patrol issued a summons for the offense.
Police called a tow for a driver with a flat tire on Griffen Avenue Aug. 17.
A woman reported a white man in his 50s "bumped into her car" while he was walking and she was turning her car into the garage at 7 Popham Road, from Depot Place, Aug. 17. She alleged he then started "yelling and screaming at her," before he walked away and got on a train. There was no damage to her car.
Patrol notified the water department that a water pipe cap was missing from Mamaroneck Road Aug. 18. The department supervisor said his workers removed several caps in the area but would be returning to replace them.
Police moved a fallen low voltage wire to the side of Myrtledale Road where it would not be a trip hazard Aug. 18.
Patrol cleared a fallen branch from Chesterfield Road Aug. 18.
Police erected temporary stop signs at the intersection of Crane Road and Woodland Place because of a malfunctioning traffic light Aug. 18 and 19.
A red car was reported to be slowly "circling" Brite Avenue and Cohawney Road Aug. 18. Police questioned the driver who said she was picking up her daughter on Parkfield Road and driving slowly in an attempt to find her way to the house.
Police and highway department workers removed a low voltage wire from Palmer Avenue and Ramsey Road Aug. 19.
A caller complained that a parked car was straddling two spaces in a private parking lot on East Parkway Aug. 19. Police advised a summons could not be issued because the parking lot was private.
The highway department was notified to remove an overhanging branch on Ogden Road Aug. 20.
A camper hit a utility pole at Mamaroneck Road and a Hutchinson Rover Parkway ramp Aug. 20. The impact caused movement of the pole, which resulted in slack in utility wires. Con Edison and Verizon were notified.
Police marked a broken and dangling tree branch with caution tape on Harcourt Road Aug. 20. The highway department was notified to address the problem.
Eight car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Animals
A Tunstall Road resident complained about a neighbor's barking dog at 8:30 a.m., Aug. 16. Patrol noticed a dog chained n the front yard and spoke with a dog sitter. She apologized and brought the dog in the house. Patrol issued a verbal warning.

Patrol asked a sanitation worker to remove a dead raccoon from Palmer Avenue Aug. 20.

Village code
Police issued summonses to landscapers using gas-powered blowers on Ogden and Mamaroneck roads Aug. 15 and Kingston Road Aug. 17.

A Stratton Road resident reported contractors making unnecessary noise in a neighbor's new house at 9:59 p.m., Aug. 15. When patrol arrived to investigate the call, patrol discovered the only noise to be the homeowner using a vacuum inside the house. She was cleaning in preparation of moving in. The homeowner said her neighbor has repeatedly called her cell phone, knocked on her door and called police to complain about noise. The homeowner said the cell phone calls were so frequent, she had to block the neighbor's number. According to police records, a previous investigated noise complaint was also deemed unfounded – as was the complaint from Aug. 15. Patrol went to the neighbor's house, but she was not available. Therefore, patrol spoke only with the neighbor's husband. Patrol advised him that the homeowners next door did not want him or his wife to enter their property or call them. Patrol explained village code and clarified what is permissible noise versus prohibited activity. The husband said he would relay all information to his wife, and he would only report activity he believed was in violation of village code.

A Lakin Road resident reported loud music in a neighbor's backyard at 5 p.m., Aug. 18. Patrol went to the area but could not hear the music until patrol turned off the patrol car's air conditioning and radio. Patrol deemed the music to be acceptable for the time of day and determined no village code violations were committed.

A concrete delivery vehicle was idling on Birch Lane at 9:10 a.m., Aug. 20. The driver said he was aware he could not start work until 10 a.m. Patrol informed him that idling on the street in preparation of work is also a violation of village code. A verbal warning was issued, and the truck was moved from the scene.

Firefighters
On Aug. 15, contractors using gas-powered tools in a Carthage Road basement caused elevated levels on carbon monoxide inside the house. Firefighters ventilated the house and told the contractor to only use electric tools inside.

On Aug. 19, the insulation around a broken power line to a Harcourt Road house was burning. Firefighters shut power to a generator that was running during the house's power outage, and they stood by for Con Edison.

An indoor oil tank was leaking in a Richelieu Road basement Aug. 21. The resident's oil company said they were unable to help with the leak. Firefighters shut off the boiler and used a plug-in dike to mitigate the leak. Firefighters placed absorbent pads and Speedi-Dri beneath and around the tank to control the spilled oil. Yonkers Haz-Mat was called. They advised the tank must be emptied immediately. The resident made arrangements with a company that could remove the oil.
This week, firefighters assisted at one car accident in the village. They responded to two false carbon monoxide alarms and 20 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, construction work, a power surge, heat accumulated in an attic and cooking smoke.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Aug. 15 – 21 was compiled from official information.