Grand ‘scam’
Old folks beware — this scammer is not your grandson!
An apparently convincing villain tricked two elderly men out of $15,000 in separate incidents on Oct. 20 and 22.
The first victim, 70, told cops that a young man called him at his home — which is near the intersection of Driggs and Kingsland avenues — at about 10 am, claiming to be his grandson and asking for $10,000 to buy a car that he really, really needed. So the old man did what any good grandpa would do — he went to the bank, pulled out the hefty sum and handed it over to his fraudulent relative.
On Oct. 22, the con artist hit up a 90-year-old man on McGuinness Boulevard near Graham Avenue at about 8:30 pm, again pretending to be the man’s sweet little grandson and asking for $5,000. The victim wrote out a money order and met the jerk outside his home to hand over the money. Cops said that these two crimes are likely related and that the perp probably knew that the elderly men had that much money to throw at non-existent cars.
iFlee
A jogging jerk ran up and wrenched an iPhone out of a woman’s hands on Norman Avenue on Oct. 16.
The woman told cops that she was walking her dog and talking on her phone near Guernsey Street at about 11:05 pm when the perp came from behind and swiped the gadget. The dog is OK.
Smashed window
A thief stole electronics out of a car on Graham Avenue on Oct. 19.
The car’s owner went to his parking spot near Conselyea Street at about 7 pm to find glass everywhere, and his stereo and two cellphones missing.
Phone tag
A thief was arrested after swiping an iPhone out of a woman’s hands on N. Fourth Street on Oct. 22.
The victim told cops that she was talking on her phone near Driggs Avenue at about 12:35 pm when the robber ran up and snagged the device. Luckily, cops collared the dumb thug, and returned the smart phone.
On the fence
Two thugs attacked and threatened a man’s life for some cash and an iPhone on Skillman Avenue on Oct. 22.
The victim told cops that he was near Lorimer Street when the two approached from behind at about 10:30 pm. One of them pushed him face-first into a fence and held a knife to his neck, while the other ran the victim’s pockets. They snagged the goods and fled.
Coffee saves
A creepy crook was thwarted in his attempt to pull a woman into his sedan, after the victim threw coffee in his face on McGuinness Boulevard on Oct. 24.
The 22-year-old woman was near Broome Street at about 7:40 pm on the highly trafficked strip, when the cretin pulled up in his ride and demanded that she get in. When she refused, he got out and grabbed her arm — that’s when she pulled out her brew-gone-weapon. She was able to flee, but sadly, the perp made off with her bag that contained cash, cards and a cellphone.
The coffee was not recovered.
— Andy Campbell
