Police Log

Posted 2/7/17

CONCEALED CANNABIS While on routine patrol on January 20 at approximately 1:24 a.m., Officer Alfred Silveira was traveling southbound on Warwick Avenue when he observed a black Honda Accord driving northbound with no lights on. He turned his cruiser to

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Police Log

Posted

CONCEALED CANNABIS

While on routine patrol on January 20 at approximately 1:24 a.m., Officer Alfred Silveira was traveling southbound on Warwick Avenue when he observed a black Honda Accord driving northbound with no lights on. He turned his cruiser to follow, and the suspect vehicle made a left onto Airport Road with its lights still off. A traffic stop was then initiated in the area of Airport Road and Elmhurst Street.

After the officer explained the reason for the stop, the driver identified himself as Samir Banai, 23, of 16106 Jewel Avenue, Apt. 4H in Fresh Meadows, New York. Banai stated that he did not realize that his lights were off and that he was coming from a friend’s house. As they were speaking, Officer Silveira detected the strong odor of what he believed was marijuana, based on his training and experience.

According to the report, Banai was asked if there was any marijuana in the car, and he produced a small plastic bag with what appeared to be about two grams of cannabis. Officer Silveira asked if there was any more of the plant in the car, and Banai stated no multiple times.

Banai was asked for his license, registration and proof of insurance. He handed the officer his license, but he was briefly unable to locate the registration, checking everywhere in the vehicle except the glove compartment. The officer asked if the registration was in the glove box, and Banai said that it could be and proceeded to open it. Once open, the officer observed a glass jar with what appeared to be a significant amount of marijuana inside. He was asked to retrieve the jar, and the officer took possession of it.

Officer Silveira then returned to his cruiser to run background checks, and Officer Jeremy Smith arrived on scene. Officer Silveira then asked Banai to step out of the vehicle because he was untruthful multiple times about the amount of marijuana in the car.

As he exited the car, the officer observed a large bulge in Banai’s left front pocket and what appeared to be a sandwich bag partially hanging out. When asked what was in his pocket, Banai did not reply. The bag was removed and approximately one ounce of what was believed to be marijuana was discovered.

Banai and his vehicle were then searched, which proved negative. It was then determined that Banai would be taken into custody for possession of marijuana, first offense, for over one ounce. His car was towed and he was handcuffed before being transported to police headquarters.

At the station, the suspected marijuana was weighed. The first baggie contained 2.7 grams, the jar contained 12.1 grams, and the second bag contained 28.4 grams. The substance was then tagged and stored.

Banai was also issued a violation for his headlights being off while driving. He was held in a cell to wait to appear before the bail commissioner.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

A driver who recently told officers, “Just take me to jail already. There is no point in doing the test,” during a field sobriety test was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence.

Officer Derek Mourato was traveling westbound on Centerville Road on January 22 just after 1 a.m. when he observed the gray Nissan Altima in front of him to be traveling at a high rate of speed. The officer continued to follow and noticed that the car was swerving in and out of its marked lanes before taking a left onto Quaker Lane and accelerating at a high rate of speed. A traffic stop was then initiated on Quaker Lane by Kent County Courthouse.

In his report, the officer states he approached the vehicle and identified the driver as Russell Ferrara, 58, of 1735 Main Street Apt. C-30 in West Warwick. Officer Mourato noted that while he was standing by the driver’s side door he smelled the odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from the vehicle. While speaking with Ferrara, the officer also observed that his eyes were bloodshot and watery, his pupils dilated, and that he spoke in a slurred and mumbled manner.

When asked if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages that evening, Ferrara first said one and later stated “just a couple.” Officer Mourato also reported that, prior to asking Ferrara to step from the vehicle, he called his girlfriend and stated that he “was going to be going to jail for drinking and driving.”

Other officers arrived on scene to provide backup, and Ferrara agreed to consent to a series of standardized sobriety tests. After the tests, and based on the officer’s training and experience, it was determined that Ferrara was unfit to operate a motor vehicle safely, and he was placed under arrest.

Ferrara’s car was towed from the scene, and he was transported to police headquarters, where he later refused to take a chemical breathalyzer test. He was issued a summons for driving under the influence, first offense, refusal to submit to a chemical breathalyzer test, and laned roadway violations. He was later released to the custody of a sober adult.

LARCENY

On January 24 at approximately 4:06 p.m., Officer Quentin Tavares was dispatched to the Gamestop located at 300 Quaker Lane for a report of a larceny from a motor vehicle.

At the scene he met with the victim, who stated he had parked his vehicle outside the store and forgot to lock all of the doors. According to the report, the man returned to the car after he realized he forgot his wallet. It was then that he realized his car had been broken into by an unknown subject. The victim stated that his wallet containing $56, his driver’s license, military ID and a debit card, along with a broken black laptop valued at $76, had been taken.

The victim said that he had cancelled his cards with his financial institution but wanted to report the incident. There was no video surveillance footage available, and no witnesses were present.

SHOPLIFTING

A woman who recently told officers, “Do whatever you have to do if you think you can prove that I took this,” was arrested for suspected shoplifting.

On December 22 around 5:45 p.m., Officer Jason Cooke met with a woman at police headquarters for a report of a larceny.

According to the police report, the woman visited the Bald Hill Road Macy’s on December 20 around 5:40 p.m. to make a return. While at the register, she left two white envelopes containing numerous shopping receipts, coupons, $400 in cash, and two $50 Walmart gift cards behind before leaving. About an hour later she realized the envelopes were gone and returned to the store to see if she could find them. She spoke with a store manager to see if the envelopes had been turned in, which proved negative.

They then spoke with the cashier that assisted with the return, who advised that she did see the envelopes left behind but just moved them to the side because she believed that the customer would return for them. The victim then asked if video surveillance was available, and the manager contacted the store’s loss prevention team to review the footage.

The manager viewed the tape and informed the victim that she needed to file a police report before she could divulge any information. A written report was then taken from the victim. Officer Cooke contacted Macy’s loss prevention and asked that the store contact him for assistance.

On December 31, Officer Cooke visited the store’s loss prevention office to follow up. There he met with the manager who was familiar with the incident. The manager stated she had video of the incident, which the officer reviewed. From that footage a suspect was identified as Melanie Smith, 40, of 20 Sharon Drive in Coventry. Smith was seen visiting the kiosk moments after the victim, where she placed items on top of the envelope. After she made her purchase, Smith was observed taking her belongings and the two envelopes, followed by her leaving the store. A review of the transaction and of the credit card used allowed loss prevention and Officer Cooke to identify the potential suspect.

Smith’s contact information was then obtained, and Officer Cooke called her by phone. She denied taking any money or envelopes before hanging up. Attempts to contact Smith by address proved negative. A warrant for one count of larceny under $1,500 was then drawn up.

On January 25 at approximately 6:10 a.m., Officer Ali Jaafar was instructed by dispatch to report to headquarters in order to take custody of Smith, who was in the main lobby to turn herself in for the outstanding warrant. She was then booked and processed without incident. She was then placed in a cell to be held for arraignment.

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