The winner of an OfferUp online auction brought a $4,940 check to McDonald’s. he rode away with a west side woman’s 2008 Nissan Sentra.
You can guess what happened next.
if not, you can find the answer — and details of a week’s full of west side police complaints of note — in the following summary from top West Hills/ West Rock/ Westville /AMity/ Beverly Hills cop Lt. Rose Dell:
FROM 10/27/19 to 11/2/19 POLICE RESPONDED TO 194 CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THE WESTVILLE/WEST HILLS SECTION OF NEW HAVEN. THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF NOTABLE INCIDENTS:
On 10/27, a resident of Elmwood Road reported that her 2015 Lincoln MKC was stolen sometime overnight. She left her spare key in the vehicle along with $900 cash, 3 lacrosse sticks (each worth $350), a Kate Spade wallet, a bucket of lacrosse balls, and a suitcase filled with clothes.
Sunday morning a resident of 400 Blake Street found the back cover to her Jeep Wrangler had been unzipped and her North Face backpack and lacrosse jacket were stolen. The backpack contained an Apple MacBook. Two vehicles parked on Long Hill Terrace were entered overnight on 10/28. Around $40 worth of spare change was stolen from the center console of a Subaru Tribeca that was left unlocked. A neighbor reported that her vehicle was rummaged through as well but nothing was stolen, even though she had her Fitbit watch and some loose change in the center console. She too had forgotten to lock her car. On the same night, two vehicles parked in a driveway on Benton Street were rummaged through and numerous items were stolen including: a backpack, football gear, a MacBook pro, air pods, Gucci prescription sunglasses and a driver’s license. The resident believed she locked the vehicles, but there were no signs of forced entry. In the afternoon on 10/28, a resident of the 900 block of Whalley Avenue said that spare change was stolen from her vehicle while it was parked in front of her residence for 20 minutes. Overnight on 10/29, a rear passenger window was smashed on a vehicle parked in the 200 block of Fitch Street. A Michael Kors purse was stolen. A pair of sunglasses were stolen from a vehicle parked on Knollwood Drive on 10/30.
A resident of Solomon Crossing listed her cousin’s 2008 Nissan Sentra on the OfferUp app (an online auction site). She got a bid from an unknown male and agreed to meet him at the McDonald’s on Whalley Avenue to sell him the car. They met, and he gave her a TD Bank check for $4,940. Later on in the day she tried to deposit the check and found that the account was closed, and the check did not have sufficient funds. The case was forwarded to the Financial Crimes Unit. PRO TIP: Do not accept checks, money orders or electronic payment (they can be reversed); cash is the way to go.
On 10/28, a resident of Marvelwood Drive answered a knock on the door, and an unknown male tried to sell him some magazines. When the resident did not agree to the sale, the salesman made a crude reference to his genitalia. He was described as a heavy set male, around 6 feet tall, with short black hair, in a white t‑shirt, khaki pants carrying a clipboard. Officers searched the area but could not locate the male.
Overnight on 10/29, 3 apartments that were unoccupied and under renovation on South Genesee Street were burglarized. Entry was made to all through the back windows. One apartment had approximately $3800 worth of items stolen including 6 Nintendo game systems, a 42-inch television, 2 tablets, 2 sets of Beat headphones, an Apple iPad, some jewelry and various pieces of underwear. Detectives responded to the scene to process for forensic evidence and review video surveillance.
A coin collector on Taylor Avenue reported on Friday evening that sometime over the last two days someone stole his one-dollar gold coin collection and a box of rolled quarters. The gold coins were worth around $2,000. There were no signs of forced entry, and all doors were found locked and secure. The resident said no one knew of his hobby or collections.
Officer Steven Spofford responded to a motor vehicle accident on 11/2 on West Rock Avenue. The operator of a Subaru Outback said that while he looked down on the floor for a cigarette he struck a parked vehicle. The Fire Department located a needle and three wax bags, which were later determined to contain heroin, in the center console. The operator, who exhibited multiple signs that he was under the influence of drugs, admitted to using heroin earlier in the day. A urine sample was seized, and the operator was arrested for driving under the influence and drug possession.
On 11/2, police responded to a residence on Central Avenue for a garage break-in. The resident entered his garage and saw that the rear door and window were open. The plastic window on his Mazda MX‑5 Miata convertible had been ripped open. Nothing was stolen from the vehicle, but an Eco Power machine was missing from the garage.
A resident on Valley Street lost her house keys on 11/1. When she returned to her home on 11/2, she noticed her 50-inch television was missing. There was no damage to her windows and doors, and she believed that someone found her keys and used them to enter her residence. The Officer advised the resident to change her locks.
I always leave at least $900 cash in my car at all time. In case it ever gets stolen.