Crime & Safety

Bestiality, Psychic Fraud and a Fake Cop

Also, does NY out-OMG NJ?

Each week, Patch takes a peek at some of the more surprising, shocking, stunning and occasionally silly police-related incidents reported throughout New Jersey for "OMGs from NJ PDs."

Well, most weeks.

Truth is, this week's been kind of slow. So we're peering over the New York border and borrowing some news from our friends at Patch sites serving the Hudson Valley—which just happen to run their own OMG-like column, "Unusual Suspects."

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If you thought Jersey could get wacky, read for some dispatches from our friends across the river.

How Beastly: It's hard to get a lot of information about an alleged Feb. 9 burglary in Rye, as a judge has sealed records. But one of the details has leaked out: The case somehow involves reports of bestiality. Lock your doors; you really never know who's on the prowl.

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Time for Another OMG Tip: We should repeat our oft-made disclaimer: We're not actually endorsing any crime. But if you're gonna hold on to $11,000 in cash and unprescribed Xanax, it's best not to draw the fuzz's attention by walking around with a lit marijuana cigarette, as a Mt. Kisco teen is alleged to have done.

Speaking of Drawing Attention ... The usual strategy (not that it works) for avoiding the police department's attention when driving while intoxicated is to drive slowly and carefully. An infinitely better strategy is not to be drunk while driving in the first place. And an infinitely worse one? Honking your horn and leaning out of your window to yell at the driver in front of you—who happens to be stopped for a funeral procession. An officer reportedly noticed such erratic behavior ... and then the alcohol in the vehicle.

One of Us: You know what cops are trained to recognize? All sorts of things—signs of illicit drug use, imminent violent behavior, alcohol intoxication, and so forth. You know what they don't even need to be trained to recognize? The fake badge a not-cop allegedly tried to pass off as the real thing after being pulled over in Peekskill. As it turns out, "I may not be a cop, but I play one when I'm in trouble," isn't a particularly effective defense.

Call it a Fire Sale: An ex-commissioner of the Monsey Fire District has been sentenced for a real estate scheme. Apparently, he wanted his fire district to purchase real estate from one of his creditors—so he could pay off $125,000 worth of his own debt. A year and a day in prison just might be enough to extinguish that idea.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: A woman claiming she has psychic powers was charged with fraud after allegedly scamming a White Plains woman out of $3,000 to $4,000. The psychic allegedly told a 19-year-old victim bad things would happen to the teen—but they could be avoided, if the teen would pay. As it turns out, the strategy didn't work.


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