Shelter Island Blotter: 7 summonses issued

Those named in arrest reports or receiving police summonses have not been convicted of a crime. In court, the charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn or the defendants may be found not guilty.

SUMMONSES

Annamarie G. Ruscica of Shelter Island was stopped by police on Smith Street on Jan. 1 and given a ticket for driving with no/inadequate brake lights. On Jan. 4, Michael T. Reale of Shelter Island was driving on North Ferry Road when he was also given a summons for having inadequate brake lights.

During the week, police conducted eight traffic stops and distracted driving enforcement in the Center, West Neck and Menantic – resulting in three warnings and two tickets.

ALARMS

Four residential alarms were set off during the week — in Silver Beach on Dec. 30, the Center on Dec. 30, Shorewood on Jan. 3 and Ram Island on Jan. 5. The doors and windows were secure in the first case and the owner was advised to contact the alarm company to check the system. There were negative results of the officer’s search of the second home. The owner told the officer by phone that he has cameras in the residence and wind may have blown open a door and activated the motion alarm. The third residence’s caretaker was contacted after police confirmed it was a false alarm. A person checking on a residence for the caretaker set off the motion alarm at a Ram Island home.

The Shelter Island Fire Department (SIFD) responded to three fire alarms — one on Dec. 30 at the Shelter Island House, set off by an employee spraying the building. A system malfunction, measuring boiler heat, set off a fire alarm on Ram Island on Jan. 3, and on Jan. 4 an owner activated the smoke alarm while changing the battery.

While it didn’t set off an alarm, the SIFD responded to a call on Jan. 5 about an oven fire at a home in West Neck. A candle was being melted down in the oven when it started smoking and then ignited. The SIFD extinguished the fire.

ANIMAL INCIDENTS

A dog found in the Heights was brought to Police Department headquarters on Dec. 29. Police recognized the dog and returned it to the owner. The next day, an animal control officer, returning dogs to a home in Cartwright, noticed an open door with no one home. The owner returned, just as police arrived, and explained that the cat opens the sliding door, which lets the dogs out.

Two raccoons in Silver Beach were in the blotter on Dec. 31. The animal control officer notified police about a sick raccoon who might need to be put down. The raccoon ran off when police arrived. Another sick raccoon was captured by an officer and transported to a vet for euthanasia.

Two dogs at large were reported in Silver Beach on Dec. 31, but were gone when police arrived and later located at the owner’s home.

OTHER REPORTS

A caller reported a fallen branch on a Center roadway on Dec. 31, blocking westbound traffic. Police responded and notified the Highway Department.

On Jan. 1, a caller reported that a suspicious vehicle was parked outside a Center residence for about 20 minutes and then took off when the caller approached. Police located the vehicle and interviewed the driver and passenger who explained they had stopped to make a phone call.

A caller told police on Jan. 2 that a number of young people had been walking in the middle of several Center roadways, refusing to move for traffic. The caller wanted police to speak to them if they were seen doing that again.

On Jan. 2, a resident reported seeing, by camera, an unknown person on his property. The owner was not home and said no one had permission to be there. An officer responded, found a worker repairing a marine dock and advised the caller.

An officer responded to a report on Jan. 3 of a possibly unwanted person climbing into a window at a Cartwright residence. When confronted, the person ran into the woods. A tenant and owner were interviewed by an officer; there were no problems, and no further action was required.

On Jan. 5, police opened a confidential investigation into a case involving stolen property.

Also on the 5th, a Shorewood complainant stopped an officer to document an incident, for information purposes, involving a hunter on the property.

In other cases, police were notified about a tree falling on a neighbor’s property, handled two lost and found cases, responded to a 911 problem and answered a medical alert.

AIDED CASES

A Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services team transported one person to Eastern Long Island Hospital on Jan. 4.