Police Blotter: Drunk Driver Nabbed; Elderly Man Scammed Out of $15K

Valhalla Man Nabbed For Drunken Driving:

Town police were called on June 7 at 1:40 p.m. by someone reporting a car being driven erratically near the intersection of Lakeview Avenue and Rt. 123. The caller provided a description of the car, including its license plate number, and a short time later an officer spotted the car turning off Lakeview onto Main Street.

Police said the driver did not respond to the officer's signal to pull over, and continued driving slowly. Eventually, several officers got their cruisers in front of the car and forced the driver to stop.

The officers reported the driver was extremely intoxicated.

Peter Giannini, 43, of Eastview Drive, Valhalla, N.Y., was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to drive right. He was released after posting a $150 bond, and was give a court date of June 17.

Elderly Man Victim of Sweepstakes Scam:

Police said an 84-year-old resident of South Avenue was scammed into believing he had won a $1.5 million sweepstakes, and ended up sending $15,000 to the person or persons who tricked him.

The man told police on June 12 he received a call from a man claiming to be an agent of the Federal Trade Commission, who advised him he had won the prize from Publishers Clearing House.

The victim was advised he needed to send a check for $4,500 to an address in South Carolina to serve as a federal registration and security deposit.

The victim complied and said he later was contacted again, this time being told to send a check for $10,500 to an address in Rhode Island, which he did.

The man called police after both checks cleared his bank without getting further word about his prize.

Shoplifter Targest Children's Clothing Store:

Management of the Littlejohn's store at 120 Elm St called police June 13 to report that a man had stolen six toddler T-shirts. They said he first put the T-shirts on a shelf at the front of the store, and then grabbed them and left.

The store estimated the merchandise was worth about $150.

Police said one of the witnesses was an 8-year-old girl.

Wall in Waveny Park Vandalized:

On June 8 at 11 a.m. police received a report of graffiti on a wall in Waveny Park. Someone had apparently used a red marker to write on the wall near Waveny House in the rose garden. The Recreation Department estimated it would cost $150 to remove the markings.