New Rochelle Woman Becomes Victim of Fraud: A New Rochelle woman’s bank account was allegedly hacked and $800 was transferred to an unknown account Feb. 25 by an unknown suspect, a police report said. According to the report, on Feb. 16, the woman used one of two computers at her home to conduct a bank transaction, the police report said. After the bank emailed her the authentication message, she was able to complete the transaction, the report said. However, the following day, she received another email from the bank containing a new authentication message. She told police she believed the second message was related to the previous night’s message and that she completed the new authentication message while providing her personal information, including her social security number, the police report said. The bank later notified her that an $800 wire transfer was made from her account, the police report said. The case is pending, the police report said.
Men Attack, Rob Man in Iona College Gym: A New Rochelle man was allegedly attacked and robbed Feb. 24 in the Mulcahy gym inside Iona College while playing basketball, according to a police report. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a large scratch on the man’s left forearm and elbow, the report stated. He had multiple scratches on his left knuckles and small scratches on the left side of his forehead, the report stated. The man told police he was attacked and robbed by four unknown males while at the basketball court at Mulcahy gym. After a basketball he was holding dropped from his hand and rolled into the court where other men were playing, the men argued, he told police. After he finished playing, a black male, about 6 feet tall and wearing a white tank top, confronted him, he told police. The first suspect and three others attacked him, he said. They punched him in the back of the head, kicked him and beat him, he told police. A fifth unknown man appeared and attempted to difuse the fight, he told police. After they stopped hitting the complainant, the suspects took his backpack and walked up nearby stairs, he told police. The backpack contained an iPad valued at $500, an iPad case valued at $30; two white iPhone chargers, valued at $80; spiral notebook; a black wallet containing his Borough of Manhattan Community College ID; a green G-Shock watch, valued at $60; a blue G-star T shirt, valued at $80; and a gold chain, valued at $60, he told police. After looking for the suspects, the complainant went to the Iona Security officer to report the incident, the police report said. The security guards, however, told police they do not have the attack on video, the report said. The video footage did capture a few individuals in the area that may match the suspects’ descriptions, the police report said.
Women Steal Personal Hygiene Items from Stop & Shop: Two unknown females allegedly stole personal hygiene items Feb. 24 from a Stop & Shop store, 28 Harrison St. The Loss Prevention Officer at the store told police that the two women concealed the items in their pocketbooks and left the store without paying for the items. A security guard confronted the women in the parking lot and escorted them back to the office, the police report said. One of the suspects told police she went to the store to buy groceries and needed feminine hygiene items but didn’t have the money for the items so she concealed them in her pocketbook and also gave some to her friend to steal, the police report said.
Man’s Credit Card Charged by Unknown Suspect: A New Rochelle man’s credit card was allegedly charged Feb. 23 without his permission. The victim told police he found fraudulent charges on his statement. He told police his bank will conduct an investigation and refund his money if it’s proven the charges were fraudulent. The fraudulent charges reportedly began on Feb. 19.
Thief Steals Woman’s Gym Bag: A New Rochelle woman told police her gym bag was allegedly stolen Feb. 23 from inside a locker at New York Sports Club, 175 Huguenot St. The complainant told police she put her gym bag inside a locker in the women’s locker room between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Feb. 9 but did not have a lock to secure it. When she returned, she found her gym bag missing, she told police. She cancelled the credit card contained inside of her gym bag and a new card was issued to her, the police report states. There are no witnesses to the incident or video surveillance in the area, the police report states.
Woman Tries to Defraud New Rochelle Babysitter: New Rochelle Police responded to a woman’s complaint of a fraud. According to the police report, a babysitter from New Rochelle posted an ad on the Internet offering babysitting services and received a text message on Feb. 13 from a person who told her she was moving from Utah and needed a babysitter and to purchase furniture. After agreeing on a fee for her services, the woman from Utah sent the complainant a check for $2,700 and asked her to deposit it in to her bank account, the complainant told police. The victim deposited the check in to her account but noticed that the check did not clear after a few days, the police report said. When she contacted the bank, she learned that her account had been frozen, the police report said. The bank told the complaint that the check bounced. The complainant told police she asked the woman to correct the problem or she would contact police. The complainant continued communicating with the woman from Utah regarding the bounced check and the woman from Utah asked the complainant to deposit $500 to a shipping agent to her, the police report said. She told police she stopped all communication with the Utah woman, and the bank restored her account, the report said.
Suspect Steals New Rochelle Man’s Social Security Number: Unknown criminals allegedly accessed a New Rochelle man’s Social Security number online Feb. 23, according to a police report. The man told police the Social Security office notified him about the incident that occurred Feb. 14. He spoke to a representative from the Social Security office and had the request cancelled, the police report said.
Thief Steals Vehicle From Garage: New Rochelle Police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle Feb. 21 from Iona College parking garage. The complainant told police she parked her car at approximately 5:15 p.m. Feb. 20 on the first floor of the garage but that when she returned about 7:20 p.m. the following day, her vehicle was missing. She immediately notified Iona College Security, who drove the complainant around the parking garage several times so she could look for her vehicle, the police report stated. Officers also searched the area but could not find her vehicle, the police report said. According to Iona College Security, the only surveillance camera is located at the entrance of the garage, however, the garage has several exits, the police report said. The vehicle is described as a gray, 2015 Ford Escape, valued at approximately $25,000, the police report said.
Thief Steals iPhone: An iPhone 6S was allegedly stolen Feb. 21 from the Spectators Sports Pub, 219 North Ave. The complainant told police she arrived at the establishment about 3 p.m. and realized her phone was missing. She told police someone had taken her phone after she placed it inside the bar. After calling her phone several times, a male answered the phone but was uncooperative when she asked him about her phone, she told police. Her attempts to contact Sprint about disconnecting her phone failed. She told police she didn’t recognize the male person who answered her phone. Police told the complainant to contact Sprint again to disconnect the service and contact them if the company could track the phone, the police report said.
Police Search for Stolen Phone: New Rochelle Police responded to a report of a stolen phone Feb. 20 at the Metapan Restaurant, 326 Webster Ave. Police questioned the bartender, however, she did not speak English and wasn’t able to assist them, the police report said. An officer searched the restaurant but did not find the phone, the police report said.
Man Receives iPhones: New Rochelle Police responded to a report of fraud Feb. 25. According to the police report, the complainant received five, iPhone 6S cell phones, which he told police he did not order, Feb. 25 from Sprint at his former address after the tenants told him they had received a package for him. He also told police that he had a Sprint account but he didn’t order the phones. The man did not find any unauthorized charges on his phone bill, he told police. He filed criminal charges and said he would contact Sprint during business hours. A contact number was also listed under the complainant’s name but he did not recognize it and the police believe the number could be linked to a suspect, the police report said.
Police Make Arrests: Michael R Rose, 33, of Larchmont, N.Y., was arrested and charged Feb. 25 with a DWI: previous conviction designated within 10 years and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Gonzalo Alvarez-Madrigal, 37, of New Rochelle, was arrested Feb, 25 and charged with first-offense DWI and driving without a license. Anthony T Bottone, 50, Mount Vernon, N.Y., was arrested Feb. 25 and charged with first-offense DWI, combined influence of drugs and alcohol and unlawful possession of marijuana. Kevin V. Smith, 28, of New Rochelle, was arrested Feb. 23 and charged with one count of criminal sale of marijuana and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.
Response from Iona College regarding incident on February 24.