Sheriff working on rash of larcenies

MONTICELLO, NY — The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help as it investigates a rash of larcenies from cars in the greater Monticello area. The larcenies began on September 14, when three cars were broken into in the Kinnebrook Mobile Home Park on State Route 17B. That same evening, items were taken from two vehicles in Melody Lake.

Since then, 13 more incidents have been reported over the past 30 days. The locations include Patio Homes, Southwoods Drive, Sackett Lake Road, Price Road, Robert Road and Cold Spring Road, all in the Town of Thompson.

Deputies believe the suspect or suspects canvass the area during the daylight hours and then return between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. to commit the crime. The suspects may be on foot, bicycle, or in a car. They may also be wearing a knapsack. So far, only unlocked cars containing cash have been targeted. Residents are asked to lock their vehicles and remain vigilant. Report any suspicious person to the sheriff’s office immediately at 845/794-7100.

HeatSmart campaign announced

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — Catskill Mountainkeeper and Sustainable Hudson Valley on October 29 announced HeatSmart, a state-supported community campaign to help local home and business owners increase energy efficiency with clean heating and cooling systems.

The campaign will make it easier for property owners to install clean heating and cooling technologies to lower energy bills and reduce greenhouse gases, while keeping buildings and homes comfortable. The technologies include air-source heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps (aka geothermal), and heat-pump water heaters.

The first step on the path to clean heating and cooling is to have an energy audit and make efficiency improvements. An energy-efficient building is less expensive, more comfortable, better for the environment and ready for these increasingly attractive technologies that efficiently use electricity instead of gas or oil.

The program is working with two local contractors, Energy Conservation Specialists and the Hudson Valley Green Energy Group, that were competitively selected and will help consumers better understand their buildings’ energy efficiency needs, and make improvements that will pay for themselves in energy savings.

Woman gets up to 12 years

HONESDALE, PA  — Rachel E. Byrd, age 26, of Acton, MA, was sentenced on October 25 to five and a half years to 12 years in a state correctional institute.

Byrd was convicted of robbing the Uni-Mart Exxon Station in Waymart on May 6, stealing $562. She used the stolen money to bail her then boyfriend out of the Wayne County Correctional Facility. During the robbery, Byrd hit the Uni-Mart attendant from behind, striking him in the back of the head with a metal baton and causing a deep gash that required seven staples to close.

Wayne County District Attorney Patrick Robinson said Byrd told the victim she had a gun. She tied him up with duct tape and took his cell phone. According to Byrd, her violent behavior stemmed from her drug-induced state of mind. She stated that she was detoxing from heroin and had used “meth” for the first time, along with ecstasy, prior to committing the robbery.

Robinson said, “The video tape of this vicious drug crazed assault is extremely disturbing. The sentence is very appropriate.”

Rape kit testing bill signed

HARRISBURG, PA — A bill sponsored by Sen. Wayne Langerholc Jr. (R-35) that will address Pennsylvania’s backlog of untested rape kits was signed into law on October 25. Act 164 of 2018 will reduce the backlog of untested kits by creating a commission of local and state agencies to review funding needs and communications. The law also establishes a hotline for hospitals to call if a rape kit is not picked up within 72 hours and clarifies ambiguous language in existing state law.

Langerholc said the new law will better protect Pennsylvania communities and help law enforcement to identify and arrest perpetrators of sexual violence.

“The backlog of untested rape kits is a nationwide problem that serves as a barrier to justice for far too many victims,” Langerholc said. “I am thankful that this new law will help us make significant progress toward testing more kits and getting more dangerous offenders off our streets.”

The new law is intended to supplement and strengthen the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act, a law approved in 2015 that mandates a more comprehensive process for evidence testing in cases involving sexual assault.