Crime & Safety

Police Reports: Drugs, Fraud, Thefts and DUI Arrests

Officers arrested two people for drunken driving and investigated a burglary and a purse theft.

The following information was supplied by the Monroe Police Department. No arrested person is guilty until so judged in a court of law.

 

Purse Theft, Fraudulent Charges

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A hairdresser at Bella Hair Salon, 590 Main Street, reported her purse stolen Friday and police said fraudulent charges were made on a credit card it contained.

The 20-year-old victim told police she had left her black leather purse in a back room at 3 p.m. on Thursday and that it was missing when she came back at 6:30 p.m. Police said there is access to the room from outside the building.

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The purse contained $500 in cash, a Visa credit card, prescription medications and personal papers, according to the report.

The next day, the victim's bank notified her that two charges were made on her credit card in Hemstead, New York, $47.50 at Verma Fuel and $21.70 at Walgreens. Police are investigating the incident.

DUI on Route 111

A witness reported seeing a neighbor hit trees while trying to back out of her driveway, then driving her blue Subaru across her own front lawn at 3:12 p.m. Saturday.

Police officers responding to the complaint of the erratic driver turned down Gay Bower Road only to see the Subaru heading right toward them — in the wrong lane, according to the report. Police said the officers dodged the oncoming vehicle, then turned around and followed it with their lights and sirens on.

The driver, Maureen Fama, 54, of Oakwood Drive, turned left onto Monroe Turnpike, stopped her car, then backed up, nearly hitting the police car, according to the report.

The Subaru then went forward, heading north on Route 111 at two-miles-per-hour, before coming to a stop in front of Bill's Drive-In, police said.

Fama had glassy, bloodshot eyes and spoke with a slurred speech, police said, adding she told officers she had drank a glass of wine. Field sobriety tests at the scene and breath tests at headquarters determined she was under the influence, according to the report.

Fama was charged with driving under the influence and failure to drive right on a curve. Bond was set at $500 for a Dec. 13 court date.

DUI by the Dam

Officers responded to the one-car-accident on Route 34, near Stevenson Dam, at 4:40 p.m. Saturday, and ended up arresting the driver for DUI and narcotics charges.

Hesham Salem, 40, of Willow Street in Waterbury was charged with driving under the influence, operating without insurance and failure to drive in the proper lane. He also had separate charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of narcotics.

Bond was set at $500 for a Dec. 13 court date. The next day, the bail commissioner waived the bond and released Salem on a promise to appear in court.

When officers arrived on the scene, Salem's 1994 Mazda 626 was completely off the roadway, up an embankment to the west side of the road, according to the report. Police said a bystander took Salem's keys because he had been trying to leave.

When the officers spoke to Salem, police said his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot, and that he was drooling and unable to tell the officers where he was. Salem was unsteady on his feet and appeared to have soiled himself, police added.

Field sobriety tests determined Salem was under the influence and he refused to participate in a urine test at headquarters, police said.

Inside his car, police said officers found a crack pipe with residue and a folded up paper containing white powder, which field tested positive for cocaine.

Burglary at the Golf Course

A supervisor at Whitney Farms Golf Course reported the burglary of a maintenance building on Nov. 29.

Police said a back window was broken to gain entry and three $320 weed wackers, a $400 Stihl edger, a $350 Stihl chainsaw and a $600 Stihl backpack leaf blower were stolen.


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