On the Police Logs 12.11.14

East Hampton

A hacker broke into the Fingerhut account of an Oakview Highway woman last month and changed the mailing address. Fingerhut was notified and is monitoring the account. Eileen Schaefer told police no purchases had been made on the account.

East Hampton Village

An anonymous caller told police that occupied cars were parked on Mill Hill Lane for extended periods of time Friday evening. Police found that there was a party going on and the cars were parked legally.

Police who visited the Methodist Church on Pantigo Road Friday night after a report of intruders inside learned that the church was being used as a safe haven for the homeless.

A wire run by the East Hampton Village Highway Department to light Christmas trees on Main Street came down on the evening of Dec. 3. The fire department arrived and shut the power off to allow repairs to go forward.

A Pantigo Road resident received a phone call purporting to come from the Internal Revenue Service last Thursday, warning her that she had to cooperate or the agency would sue her. She was given a second number to call, which she ignored, telling police “she knew it was a scam.”

Montauk

The Surf Lodge had a recent guest who seemed unconcerned that the establishment was closed for the season. Plumbers visiting the popular summer destination last week to drain the pipes for winter found someone had been living in Room 4. Police contacted Jayma Cardoso, the manager and a partner in the hotel and nightclub, who said no one should have been staying on the property. An officer who examined the room found no sign of forced entry and no damage, but “a lot of personal belongings.” In the parking lot, police found a 1998 Ford Explorer, from which they confiscated medications. Police have a suspect in mind, but have not released the person’s identity. Since the incident, they have been checking on the site regularly without any sign of the trespasser.

A Montauk woman was successfully targeted by a pair of telephone scam artists last month. Jennifer Meadows told police she had received a call on her cellphone from a man saying he was from PSEG, the utility company. He demanded $697, which he said she owed PSEG for her downtown Montauk business. She insisted her bill was paid, but the caller told her that recent equipment upgrades had necessitated the increased charge. Ms. Meadows was then transferred over to a woman identifying herself as “Stephanie,” who instructed her to buy Moneydot cards and make the payment with her over the phone, which Ms. Meadows did. As soon as she read the Moneydot numbers to Stephanie, the call was terminated. There have been numerous similar scam attempts in recent weeks throughout the town, targeting both business owners and residents. The thieves pose as representatives of either the I.R.S. or PSEG, and use Moneydot or similar methods.

Northwest Woods

A cold-hearted thief stole the metal snowman from the front lawn of an Island Road house recently. Peter Vigilio told police that the theft of the snowman, along with four strings of white lights and five extension cords, had happened at some point between Nov. 23 and Dec. 3, when he reported it. He valued the items at slightly under $200.

Springs

Two vehicles parked on Delevan Street had the gas siphoned out of their full tanks over the Thanksgiving week.

Wainscott

An East Gate Road resident told police last month that she had been surprised on Nov. 19 by an intruder in the house. Karla Mellado Ruiz said the man had fled, and that nothing was taken.