New Rochelle Police Blotter – November 2015
Checks Altered, Cashed: New Rochelle Police are investing a report received Nov. 16 of stolen checks that were altered and cashed. The complainant told police he had written several checks to pay bills and placed them in a U.S. Postal Service mail box. After receiving a letter from his bank that his checking account was overdrawn, the complainant told police he believed someone stole the checks from the mail box, altered them and then cashed the checks. The complainant told police he reported the incident to the USPS, who learned the checks did not reach the intended recipients.
Woman Cashes Son’s Check, Opens Accounts in His Name: A woman allegedly cashed a check made out to her son, and opened several credit card accounts in his name by forging his signature on several documents. The son told police he won a lawsuit earlier this year and was waiting for his settlement check to arrive. When he did not receive the check, he contacted his attorney who told him he gave the check to his mother who was his power of attorney, the man told police. However, the complainant told police the story was not true. The man’s mother cashed the check, the man told police. The complainant said his mother also opened credit card accounts in his name but that he has closed the accounts. He told police he doesn’t know where his mother lives or how to contact her. The amount of the check wasn’t disclosed.
Bicycle Stolen from North Avenue: New Rochelle Police responded to a report of a missing bicycle. The complainant told police that he parked the bicycle about 4 p.m. Nov. 16 on the sidewalk at 360 North Ave. When he returned a few minutes later, his bicycle was missing, he told police. The bicycle is a silver mountain bike, worth $100, according to the police report. The responding officer saw no surveillance cameras in the area, the police report stated.
Scrap Metal Stolen from Construction Site: New Rochelle Police responded to theft at a construction site Nov. 16. The complainant told police scrap metal, including galvanized pipe, copper pipe and sheet metal ducking was missing from a construction site. The complainant told police he believes the items were stolen Nov. 14 or Nov. 15. He said no one was authorized to remove material from the area. The stolen materials are worth about $1,000, he told police.
Woman Steals Friend’s Cell Phone: A 57-year-old woman allegedly stole her friend’s cell phone Nov. 16. The complaint said she lent the phone to her friend while they were walking together. When the complainant asked her friend to return the phone, her friend refused to return it and kept walking away from her, heading south on Memorial Highway, she told police. She told police that her friend was heading to the train station. She described her friend to police as a 5’5,” light-skinned female in her 50s. She was wearing blue jeans and a black coat, she told police. One officer canvassed the train station but did not see anyone matching the complainant’s description, the police report said. The victim did not want to file charges.
Identity Thief Opens Verizon Accounts: Police are searching for a person or persons who allegedly opened Verizon FiOS accounts in a New Rochelle woman’s name between Oct. 21 and Nov. 12. The victim told police that Verizon would not release the purchaser’s name, address or the amount of four purchases made using her name. The woman has since placed a block on her credit information.
Graffiti Vandals Strike Webster and Interstate 95: New Rochelle Police are looking for vandals who painted four graffiti markings in blue spray paint near Webster and Interstate 95. Police took photographs of the markings and searched the area for more graffiti. A city employee filed a complaint about the graffiti Nov. 18.
Man Poses as Woman’s Grandson, Steals Money: A man allegedly stole about $2,000 from a woman by posing as her grandson Nov. 17. The victim told police she received a phone call from someone claiming to be her grandson at 1:20 p.m. She told police the man told her he had been in an accident, was injured and in jail for driving under the influence. Another man, posing as the suspect’s attorney, told the woman he was a lawyer and would be representing her grandson in court. He claimed to have offices in Delaware, Massachusetts and New York, the woman told police. The man told the woman he would post bail for her grandson and call her back with more information regarding any additional fees, she told police. The man called the woman the next day requesting $1,908 and asked her to wire the money immediately, she said. The woman went to a nearby drugstore and wired the money, she said. At 1:30 p.m., the woman told police that the suspects had contacted her and said that her grandson had been released from jail. When she didn’t hear from her grandson by 4 p.m., she called him and learned that he had never been in an accident and had not been arrested, she told police. She tried to contact the suspects by phone but they did not answer, she said. She told police she wishes to pursue charges. Police have no suspects.
Cell Phone Stolen from Restaurant: Police responded to a report of a stolen cell phone Nov. 19 from the Chinese Buffet, 566 Main St. The complainant told police that she left her phone, including a case containing a debit card, on the table while she went to the buffet. When she returned to the table, the phone, its case and her debit card were missing, she told police. The woman cancelled her cell phone service and debit card, she said.
Thieves Steal $3 from Unlocked Vehicle: Thieves allegedly stole about $3 in loose change from a cup-holder inside of an unlocked car on Church Street Nov. 18 or Nov. 19. The complainant told police his blue Suzuki Kitara was parked when the incident occurred sometime between 6 p.m. Nov. 18 and 5:52 a.m. Nov. 19. He said his wife was the last person to use the vehicle when she parked it there around 6 p.m. Nov. 18. The man’s wife told police she parked the car and may have left the driver’s side door unlocked. Police did not find signs of forced entry.
Man Charged With Possession of Marijuana: A man was charged with possession of marijuana Nov. 18 at 1 Glencar Ave. Police said they were patrolling the area at 9:50 p.m. when they noticed three men standing in the parking lot. As they passed the men, police smelled the strong odor of marijuana coming from the area, according to the police report. Officers searched the men for drugs and arrested one of the men. He was later released.
Police Find Vandalized Vehicle: New Rochelle Police located a vandalized vehicle Nov. 17 on Highland Avenue. The complainant told police the incident occurred between 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. The vehicle registration card and insurance card were stolen from the vehicle, police said. Police did not find signs of forced entry and the complainant did not remember if he locked the car doors, according to the police report. Police said they believe the incident is connected to a string of similar break-ins in the area. Police have no suspects or witnesses to the crime. Officers have requested video surveillance from the area.
Thieves Break in Vehicle, Steal Items: New Rochelle Police are searching for the suspect or suspects who broke in to a vehicle Nov. 18 and stole a GPS device and a Verizon wireless device. According to police, the incident happened around 4 a.m. Officers were responding to a complaint of motor vehicle theft when they noticed another car in the area with the front passenger side window broken and a piece of rock on the ground. When contacted, the owner of the vehicle said he last saw his vehicle when he left it at C&C Towing, 92 Rockdale Ave. Nov. 17, to be repaired. The Garmin GPS is worth $300 and the Verizon wireless device is worth $150.
Man Assaulted at Harrison Street: A man was allegedly assaulted Nov. 16 on Harrison by a person he knows. When officers arrived at 145 Huguenot St., following a report of assault, they found a man with a swollen left cheek, bloody nose and a cut on the back of his head, which appeared to have been caused from hitting his head on the ground, according to a police report. The man told officers that the perpetrator was a man he met in since high school. When officers began questioning the victim, he became very agitated, the report states. The man asked police to take him to Harrison to search for witnesses and retrieve his glasses, the report said. Police found no witnesses and did not find the man’s glasses. No surveillance cameras in the area captured the incident, the report said. At police headquarters, the man continued to be uncooperative, police said. After repeatedly refusing medical treatment, the man finally agreed to be seen by EMTs but refused to be transported to the hospital, the report said. Police said the man described his alleged attacker as a 6’1,” black male with a moustache. The man provided police with the suspect’s last known address and asked police to pursue criminal charges.
Apple Device Stolen From Vehicle: New Rochelle Police responded to a report of a vehicle break in Nov. 16 at Memorial Highway. According to police, thieves broke in to the vehicle between 5:30 p.m. Nov. 15 and 8:10 a.m. Nov. 16 and stole $20 in change, an Apple iPad Air and a pair of sunglasses. Officers did not find signs of forced entry. The vehicle’s owner told police the remote control of her car wasn’t working properly and she may have left the car unlocked.
Thieves Break in Vehicle: For the second time in a week, a person or persons broke in to a vehicle parked in a garage between the hours of 9 p.m. Nov. 15 and 9:51 a.m. Nov. 16 at 40 Memorial Highway. The victim told police that his Dell laptop, one men’s gold bracelet and two women’s gold rings were missing. Police did not find signs of forced entry. The victim told police he may have left his car doors unlocked.
Contributed by Christine Arceneaux and Salahuddin Ahmed