After String of Burglaries, State Police Warn Residents to Lock Up

Following a of unrelated burglaries and larcenies throughout Westchester County, the New York State Police are reminding residents to keep their vehicles and homes locked.

Do not leave valuables out in plain view. Secure all doors and windows when away from the home, even if only for a few hours. If you see any unusual activity please report it to your local and state police at 914-788-8044.

Major Michael A. Kopy, Troop K Commander, reports that Weschester County police have been actively working to prevent and solve the numerous unrelated burglaries and larceny to vehicle complaints throughout the county.

Over the last six weeks, several Westchester and Putnam towns — Pound Ridge, Cortlandt and Putnam Valley — have experienced numerous residential burglaries during the daytime hours and on weekdays. In some cases, the suspects forced themselves into a home through a back window, in others burglars entered homes that were unlocked. In one case a resident while he was hiding in her closet. Usually jewelry and cash were stolen. (Have the burglaries made you feel unsafe? Take our poll below).

Recent arrests:

- last week following an intensive investigation into multiple daytime residential burglaries in the Lake Allendale section of Cortlandt. During the last three weeks, residents in the area reported that their homes were broken into during the daytime when no one was home and cash/jewelry was stolen.

-Eugene Frangella, 26, of Pound Ridge, was arrested for the alleged burglaries of five Pound Ridge homes, from which he stole jewelry and cash. Three of the homes he burglarized twice. He admitted to the crimes, according to police.

of Williams Street in Lake Peekskill, allegedly broke into a home just before 7 a.m. Tuesday, and was found by one of the homeowners, rummaging through the home's garage. Family members held the suspect at the scene until troopers arrived a few minutes later.

-In Peekskill, city police Monday afternoon for the alleged robbery of the GameStop store in the city’s Beach Shopping Center, which occurred on Friday, Oct. 14. Rhoden was recognized from the composite sketch drawn after the robbery, while walking into city court for an unrelated charge.

-The   last week for allegedly stealing $3,000 worth of jewelry from a Putnam Valley home.

Detailed info on Pound Ridge below, click on links above for details on the other arrests.

In Pound Ridge: Over the past four to six weeks several burglaries have been reported. In most incidences, burglaries were normally restricted to the bedroom area and jewelry was usually stolen. 

NYSP, in conjunction with the Pound Ridge Police Department arrested Pound Ridge resident Eugene Frangella, 26, following the report of an alarm activation on Horseshoe Hill Road.

A resident of a neighboring home, who also was burglarized within the past month, heard the alarm sounding and observed a male subject exiting the residence and enter an adjacent wooded area. The witness was able to provide a description to the police, who were familiar with a subject who fit the description and knew he resided at a residence where the witnessed observed the subject retreat. The witness positively identified the suspect in question who was later identified as Eugene Frangella. Frangella admitted to investigating officers that he has been committing the burglaries in the area, police said.

He was connected to at least five homes in the area that were burglarized, three of which he had returned to and burglarized a second time. Some proceeds of the burglaries had been recovered at the time of Frangella’s arrest for eight counts of second-degree burglary

Anyone with information connected to thefts from vehicles are encouraged to contact the State Police BCI at 914-788-8044

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