Police

Southampton Blotter: There’s no scamming this Flanders man

A Flanders man didn’t fall for a frequently used online scam April 5, according to Southampton Town police.

The Pleasure Drive resident listed two remote control cars for sale on Craigslist, one for $100 and the other for $125, official said. A prospective buyer responded via text message and sent two money orders, each for $985, and then asked the seller to send back the difference. 

Usually, judging by numerous prior police reports, the check or money order is fake or bounces and the seller loses out.

This time, however, the seller didn’t bite and instead called police, officials said.

Police said they are investigating the incident as an attempted grand larceny and scheme to defraud.

• A Riverhead woman is accused of stealing drugs from a patient she was supposed to be caring for, police said.

Crystal Garner, 29, of Old Country Road in Riverhead, was charged with petit larceny April 6 at Southampton police headquarters.

The arrest was based on a March 21, 2015, incident in which Ms. Garner was working as a home health care aide for a patient on Noyack Road in Noyack and stole pain medication from the patient without permission, according to police.

She was arrested and released on an appearance ticket, police said.

• An April 6 traffic stop in Riverhead resulted in both the driver and the passenger being arrested, police said.

Vincent Bruno, 22, of Green Ash Street in Calverton, was driving on Old Quogue Road in Riverhead when he was stopped for speeding. It was then discovered that his license had been suspended for an insurance lapse, police said. He was also found to be in possession of crack cocaine and a crack pipe, police said.

Mr. Bruno was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. His passenger, Tommy Finne, 25, of Fifth Avenue in Greenport, was found with heroin and needles, according to police. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

• A Southampton man was pulled over for going 84 mph in a 55 mph zone and found to be drunk, high and driving without a license, according to police.

Grayson Stokely, 28, of David Whites Lane in Southampton was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and alcohol early Sunday at 1:44 a.m. on County Road 94. He was also charged with speeding, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, having an open alcohol container and having an uninspected motor vehicle, police said.

• Jeff Parrish Jr., 64, of Flanders Road in Riverside, was charged with driving while intoxicated on Center Drive South in Riverside on April 6 around 6:30 p.m., police said.

An officer who pulled him over noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath and administered sobriety tests, which Mr. Parrish did poorly on, police said.

He was also charged with having an illegally tinted windshield.

• A Riverhead man was stopped for riding an all-terrain vehicle on Priscilla Avenue in Flanders Friday afternoon when an officer discovered the ATV was stolen, police said.

Joseph Sheppard, 23, of Bay Court in Riverhead was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, failure to display ATV registration and operating an ATV on a public highway, police said.

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.