Police

Riverhead Police Blotter: Altered payroll documents costs dentist $73k

A Riverhead dentist said someone stole nearly $73,000 from his office over two years by altering payroll documents, according to a Riverhead police report. The owner of the dentist’s office on Route 58 said he noticed the money was missing while preparing taxes, police said. A check of payroll documents by the dentist’s staff revealed someone had paid themselves extra on numerous paychecks from May 2010 to March 2012, according to a police report.

• More than $7,000 worth of jewelry was allegedly stolen from a Wading River house sometime several months ago, according to a police report. The victim said someone stole her gold and diamond engagement ring, a gold rope necklace and two gold bracelets, worth about $7,100 altogether, sometime between October and December 2011, police said. The victim told police that at first she thought she had misplaced the items but then realized that several items were missing.

• An unknown suspect broke into an SUV parked in Riverhead Sunday morning, stealing about $1,200 worth of electronics and clothing from inside the car, police said. The car was parked in a lot between the TJ Maxx and CVS Pharmacy stores on Route 58, police said. There were no signs of damage or forced entry and the victim said she was unsure if the car had been locked.

The suspect allegedly took an iPod Nano, car adapter, Canon 35mm camera, Lenovo laptop and laptop bag, Calvin Klein coats and various personal and work papers worth about $1,216 in total, according to police.

• Stephen Wesson, 17, of Riverhead was arrested at Riverhead High School Wednesday after he was found with marijuana while attending school, police said. A teacher at the school had asked a security guard to remove Mr. Wesson from her class after she smelled marijuana on the student, police said.

The student was searched and a bag of marijuana was found in the pocket of a pair of cargo pants he was carrying in his backpack, according to police reports. Mr. Wesson was arrested and released without bail.

• Purificacion Arias, 38, of Riverhead was arrested Sunday morning and charged with driving while intoxicated after he was seen driving erratically in Riverhead, according to police reports. Mr. Arias was spotted by police driving over a shoulder along East Main Street, police said. He was stopped and an investigation revealed he was intoxicated, according to police reports. He was arrested, processed, and held for arraignment.

• Maurice Nash, 43, of Riverhead was arrested March 13 and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to state police reports. He was released on an appearance ticket to Riverhead Town Justice Court.

• Eddy Guallpa, 31, of Riverhead was arrested Saturday and charged with DWI, state police said. He was released without bail.

• Darron Denninger Jr., 21, of Riverhead was arrested Sunday and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and DWI, according to state police records. He was released on an appearance ticket to Riverhead Town Justice Court.

• Matthew Belbey, 22, of Riverhead was arrested Sunday and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, state police said. He was released on an appearance ticket to Riverhead Town Justice Court.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.