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Police: Suspects Made Off With $13,000 In 'Pigeon Drop' Scams In Brooklyn

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police Wednesday night were searching for two suspects who allegedly pulled pigeon drop scams on two women in Brooklyn.

The first incident happened on Jan. 17, the second on March 12.

In both incidents, two women walked up to a female victim, claiming they had found a wallet containing a large sum of money, but could not spend it because it might be traced, police said.

They would offer the victim a portion of the money if she provided them with "clean" money, police said.

In both incidents, the victims agreed and drove with the suspects to a Citibank at Kings Highway and East 15th Street in Sheepshead Bay, where the victims each walked into the bank alone and withdrew money, police said.

The victims then each got back in the car with the suspects and headed to Avenue L and Ocean Avenue, where the suspects claimed their lawyer's office was located and the victims could claim their share.

But when the victims got out, the suspects just drove off with their money, police said.

The Jan. 17 incident happened at 12:15 p.m. The victim was a 63-year-old woman the suspects found at East 12th Street and Avenue R, and whom they persuaded to withdraw $4,000, police said.

The March 12 incident happened at 2 p.m. The suspects found a 65-year-old woman at Ocean Avenue and Avenue R, and she withdrew $9,000, police said.

Police have released a surveillance image of one of the suspects – described as being in her 40s – and the car they used, which was described as a silver Chrysler 200 four-door sedan.

Brooklyn Pigeon Drop Car
Surveillance images of a vehicle connected to two 'pigeon drop' scam operations in Brooklyn. (Credit: NYPD)

Anyone with information was asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, log onto the Crime Stoppers website, or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577.

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