By Carol P. Bartold, Senior Reporter     

Dec. 13, 2017: The recent wave of thefts at businesses in the Bronxville downtown business district, package thefts in the village’s residential neighborhoods, and a variety of scams aimed at residents and business owners alike show a new level of sophistication, according to Mayor Mary Marvin.

Since October, when the Verizon Store on Pondfield Avenue experienced an armed robbery, several downtown merchants, including J. McLaughlin, Soccer and Rugby Imports, Bronxville Running Company, and Value Drugs, have been victims of shoplifting and thefts of merchandise ranging in value from a few hundred dollars to over $1,000.

Thieves have fled the scene in Uber vehicles and rental cars and by attempting to board a train at the Bronxville station. Bronxville Police Department officers have apprehended several of the perpetrators and are continuing to investigate other incidents.

Police are also investigating a phone scammer who posed as a Consolidated Edison employee and demanded $1,500 in Green Dot prepaid debit cards, the equivalent of cash, from a business owner in lieu of shutting off power to the premises.

“Merchants are concerned,” said Nicole Tuck, executive director of the Bronxville Chamber of Commerce. At a pre-Thanksgiving meeting with Chamber members, Police Chief Christopher Satriale urged business owners to trust their intuitions and, if anyone looks or acts suspicious, to call the police right away.

The police department has assigned officers to walk the business district as a deterrent. Tuck noted that parking enforcement officers are also serving as first-line observers of activity.

“From the Chamber’s perspective, we’re trying to keep an open line of communication between the police department and the merchants,” Tuck stated. “We’re encouraging merchants to report incidents to us as well as to the police so we can give people a heads-up.” Tuck added that the Chamber of Commerce plans to facilitate more meetings with Chief Satriale to help merchants learn more about keeping themselves, their establishments, and shoppers safe.

A call to the Bronxville Police Department seeking information on investigations was not returned.

“Sadly,” said Mayor Mary Marvin, “it’s that time of year for thefts in the business district. But we’re also seeing an uptick in sophisticated package thefts from residences.” She attributed this to an increase in online shopping.

The Bronxville Police Department apprehended a suspect in November, dressed in a FedEx delivery uniform, as he attempted to steal a package from a residence on Hamilton Avenue. On December 7, officers arrested three persons who were stealing packages on Courseview Road and recovered several new items that could have been stolen during previous package thefts. Such thefts often involve the use of stolen credit card numbers to purchase items and have them delivered to random addresses. Thieves then visit the addresses to retrieve the packages.

Mayor Marvin urged residents not to engage with anyone dressed in a delivery uniform who comes to the door to retrieve a “wrongly delivered” package. “If someone comes to your home in a uniform, it’s a scam,” she said.

Marvin added that this year, scammers are very clever. “People can do little things to be more alert to the fact that these tricks are sophisticated,” she said.

Photo by A. Warner