Commissioner of Public Safety: Rosedale Monday car crimes work of Organized Ring Targeting Neighborhoods Throughout Metro Area. Advises: Lock cars. Turn on motion-detectors. Share Surveillance Video | WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR---65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. October 30, 2014: The President of the Rosedale Neighborhood Association, Patrick Sevcik, responding to a WPCNR reachout, forwarded the following information he has just received from White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety, David Chong on the background behind the stolen cars and car break-ins that rippled across the Rosedale area Monday night:

According to Commissioner Chong:

“Four vehicles were stolen from driveways, and an additional five vehicles had property stolen that were left in the vehicles . None of the vehicles suffered smashed windshields etc.

Our investigation reveals a few leads and is very active at this time. These incidents have occurred occasionally in other surrounding communities, in NYC, Westchester, and Rockland. We are coordinating with NYPD auto crime and the intelligence center.

The method of operations used seems to be one vehicle with up to five or six persons and a driver that comes into a neighborhood randomly.

The persons are dropped off and just walk the streets checking parked vehicles in driveways. Again the vehicles are not forcibly broken into, they are left UNLOCKED some with the keys or starter FOB’S in them. This is a simple theft! Other vehicles were left unlocked with valuables in plain sight such as cell phones, laptops, purses, etc.

I reiterate that these are opportunist criminals, if the car is secured, or in a lighted spot, they just go to the next vehicle.

As we investigate these crimes I ask that anyone with outdoor video, please check your systems for the early morning hours of Tuesday the 28th. Even if your car was not broken into you may have valuable video for us.

I also urge you all to lock your car doors and not leave your keys in the cars. Also please remove or hide valuable items such as I-phones, laptops, purses, packages, etc . We are a very safe city and I understand the convenience, but we must all do our part to make it as difficult as possible for these opportunist criminals to steal from our automobiles or our homes.

You will see an increased police presence in your neighborhood and there will be unmarked plain clothes officers in the area. We believe these thieves have moved on, but I want to reassure you that you are safe.

The investigation is on-going and we have some leads, if you have any video or saw something that morning, please contact our Detective Division at 914-422-6200. All calls will be kept confidential.