Crime & Safety
Ossining Cops Outflank Splashy Suspect In Thefts From Cars
They've been getting a lot of calls about would-be thieves rifling through unlocked cars.
OSSINING, NY — A call about someone going through cars Tuesday sent Ossining police on a successful car, foot and ultimately wet chase after the suspect.
"We’re getting a lot of calls about cars gone through on Ferris Place and Sherwood Avenue," police said on Facebook afterward. "Usually this is just a message about prevention - do the routine and remove valuables, lock your doors, and leave on a light. Not today. Today we got our guy."
Responding to the call, Officer Joseph Rinaldi found a car with out-of-state temporary tags parked in a no-parking zone on Croton Avenue, and then saw a man come back to the car. He drove away with the officer in pursuit, then got out on Todd Place and ran away.
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"You know what’s faster than feet? The radio. Best bet is to call your friends and let them know the suspect is coming down the hill," police said in the Facebook post. "That’s what Officer Rinaldi did and the rest of his squad was on the other side waiting."
It wasn't the end — the suspect tried to escape down the Kill Brook.
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"That’ll just make you cold and wet when you arrive at the Bed & Breakfast," the Facebook post pointed out.
Police said they found objects they believe were taken from cars in Ossining on him and in the car they found packages they believe contain auto parts reported stolen from a nearby car dealer.
The Facebook post also praised the teamwork of Officers Stern, Malone, Pepe, DaSilva, Sergeant Maiorana, and Detective Hadjstylianos.
"Sadly, this isn’t our first run-in with this particular defendant," police said. "He was picked up last week for a similar offense. Hopefully this time he’ll learn from it and move on to more productive activities.
"As for our community, PLEASE lock your car. Make it a habit - during the day, overnight, at the store. Always lock it. They can’t steal what they can’t get."
Ossining isn't the only target: Pleasantville police pleaded with residents Wednesday to lock their cars. SEE: Pleasantville Police: Please Lock Your Car
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