On May 27th, 2020, the Westchester County Police received news of a stolen Honda Civic traveling northbound on the Hutchinson River Parkway. Accordingly, the County police located and pursued the car. One police officer followed the car as it exited off the parkway to enter Mamaroneck Avenue, signaling for the car to pull over in the midst. Instead of cooperating, the driver took off into a residential neighborhood at high speed. The county police pursued the man to the best of their abilities but were forced to end the chase, as it became a threat to their safety. Fortunately, Scarsdale police were able to locate the abandoned car in the area of Murray Hill after the driver fled on foot into the neighborhood. 

The County Canine Unit, helicopter assistance, and Scarsdale police worked together to set up a perimeter to aid in the search for the driver. A citizen’s report of suspicious activity ultimately allowed Scarsdale and County police to apprehend the suspect on Morris Lane. “I was concerned at first because I did not know how serious the incident was. When I learned it was about a stolen car, it felt excessive to me that they involved several police forces, K-9 units, and helicopters. I originally thought it was more serious, especially considering when there was a murder in Scarsdale a few years back, there [was] much less police involvement,” said Annabel Mayer ‘22, an SHS student who lives near Murray Hill. 

Allison Coburn ’22, who also lives on Murray Hill, told a similar story. “I heard helicopters swarming around my house, causing a wave of panic to spread among me and my neighbors. A police officer was stationed on the street corner right next to my house. I felt stressed because, when my dad asked what was going on, they just said they were looking for someone, and we should lock our doors and notify them if we saw someone in our backyard. They did not tell us that the man had stolen a car. As far as we knew the guy could have killed someone and was running away from the cops,” reflected Coburn.

Although robberies and dangerous situations present themselves in daily life, we as a community are fortunate to have a well-trained police force that can execute their job properly and ensure the safety of all Scarsdale residents! “I feel lucky to live in a town with a police force that is willing to go above and beyond to go about our daily lives safely,” concluded Mayer.