Hastings Police Beat: Mating Turkey Vultures (Not Gas Leak), Fake ID, Elementary School Break-In

On June 4, the Westchester County Fire Control reported a possible gas leak on Broadway from someone at Hastings Gardens apartment complex. The caller contacted the resident of the location who was in NYC, reporting to police that she couldn't smell any gas. The caller added that turkey vultures had been in the area for a prolonged period of time and thought that they might have been attracted by leaking gas—(which is a totally valid point because turkey vultures are often used to detect natural gas.) However Hastings Fire Chief Robert Russak informed the caller that it was vulture mating season—and that was a more probable explanation than an undetected gas leak.

See photos of the vultures circling the building

June 4:

• A 23-year-old employee at the Griggs Elementary School said that her wallet had been stolen from her purse, which she keeps in a desk drawer. Inside of it was: a driver's license,  credit cards, a social security card, car registration and $250 cash. The incident happened at the ZIC building, she said, in an art room.

June 5:

• The Hastings Fire Department reported a burn in the microwave—which set off an alarm. There was no fire.
• A 47-year-old Graham School employee reported damage to his Honda Civic, which he believed had been caused by a youth who threw a rock at the driver's side door. Though he had an idea who did it; there were no witnesses to corroborate the suspicion.
• A caller reported he'd been harassed by a neighbor, who yelled at him through a second-story window as he passed the residence. The man said it was one incident in an ongoing dispute. The caller was advised to contact the court clerk because because he claimed to have been protected by the neighbor, but police could not find the order of protection.

June 6:

• A caller reported a leaf-blower law infraction on Factory Lane.
• A car was towed and its owner arrested—and released on $100 cash bail—for having five unpaid parking tickets from the Village. 
• A 58-year-old man reported that prescribed controlled substances had been taken from his medicine cabinet. He said this was the second time this had happened—the first time occurring on May 18—when 90 to 100 tablets of Oxycodone and Robitussin with Codeine had been taken from his medicine cabinet. Police did not find solid evidence of the crime. 

June 7:

• A caller on Warburton reported that a small, yellow school bus with kids inside often sped through the bus turn-around there. (Have you ever seen this?  Please tell us in the comments.)
• The Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force called asking for a car to transport a 19-year-old male to headquarters for having a forged Drivers License, making him appear older than he really was. Two other teens in the car—two 17-year old Hastings males—were charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana—and released into the custody of their parents. The older teen was also released. 

June 8:

• Security alarms indicated a late-night break-in at Hillside Elementary School. Patrol officers were sent to the location and reported two suspects flee the building. Greenburgh and Dobbs Ferry Police were also called for backup; and a County helicopter also responded. A custodian was contacted and responded with a key to the building. Police are unsure how the alleged burglars entered the building. 

The information above was provided by Hastings police; it does not indicate convictions.