The following accounts were provided by Investigator Mark Silverio of Binghamton’s New York State University Police.
Pack it away
TUESDAY, April 2, 8:24 p.m. — Officers responded to Windham Hall of Mountainview College after receiving reports from Residential Life employees that residents of a room may have been smoking marijuana. Officers made their way to the dorm and the suspect, an 18-year-old male, gave permission for them to search his room. Upon entering the room, officers noticed a smoke detector was covered with a sock, which constitutes a fire hazard. Officers also found an ashtray with marijuana in it, a bag of marijuana, a grinder, a glass bong and vapor cartridges containing concentrated cannabis. A green directional sign that belonged in the Tillman Lobby of the University Union was also found. All of the items found were seized, and the male was arrested and charged with larceny and possession of marijuana. He will appear in Vestal Town Court.
Good cop
WEDNESDAY, April 3, 4:34 p.m. — Officers responded to the University Union bus stop to speak with a man riding a Broome County Transit bus. The 48-year-old male, who was unaffiliated with the University, was refusing to pay or get off the bus. When officers arrived and asked the man to leave the bus, he became increasingly angry and told officers that he forgot his wallet with his ID and money. According to the male, the first bus driver allowed him to ride for free, but the second bus driver would not let him ride without payment. While speaking with officers, the male took off his bag, rolled up his sleeves and said, “This is about to get real bad.” Officers were able to calm him down and gave him $2 for his bus fare.
Blame it on the wind
WEDNESDAY, April 3, 6:16 p.m. — Officers responded to Parking Lot A after a male called to complain that his car had been damaged. The male, a 44-year-old Binghamton University employee, said he had noticed a massive scratch down the passenger side of his vehicle, and thought someone had hit his car. Officers took his information and, upon reviewing video footage from the area, noticed an unknown female opened the driver’s side door of her vehicle into the male’s car. It appeared that the wind blew it open quickly, and that the damage was not caused intentionally. The suspect drove away, but the camera could not get her license plate.
Phone scam
THURSDAY, April 4, 1:30 p.m. — A 22-year-old female reported she was the victim of a fraud. The female, an international student, said she received a phone call from an unknown male identifying himself as a police officer named “Jay Martin.” He said that there was something wrong with her student visa and that she would be arrested and sent directly to jail. He had basic information about the female, including her name, where she went to school and her GPA. He told the victim the only way she could avoid being arrested was to stay at home for two days and not go outside while her visa got approved. He instructed her to purchase $1,500 in gift cards, go to customs at Greater Binghamton Airport, fill out a form and send the gift cards with the completed form to an address he would provide. The victim was on the phone for about an hour before she realized it was a scam.