Nassau County Detectives Get Creative In Arrest Of Suspected Phone Scammer Targeting Senior Citizens
NORTH BELLMORE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police are calling it a rare arrest of an alleged telephone con artist. It's part of a recent surge of scams, mostly targeting older people on Long Island.
But this one came with an unexpected twist, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported Thursday.
This scam followed a familiar approach -- a senior citizen was contacted saying a grandson was in trouble and needed $7,000 cash in an envelope immediately.
But this time, in a sting involving a walker, the con man was caught, police said.
"The 1st Precinct detectives, thinking outside the box, dressed up as a senior person, put a walker in their hands, and met at the location," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.
The location was a parking lot of a North Bellmore supermarket, directly next door to Nassau's Bureau of Operations. The suspect knew his victim was a grandfather of five, but didn't realize the 72-year-old man was a retired county cop.
"An older person looking rather disheveled with a walker, the individual would feel they have an advantage. Actually they didn't," the victim told McLogan, adding when asked if he ultimately outsmarted the accused, "We won't get into who is smarter than who."
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Police said the suspect appeared astonished when the vulnerable-looking senior citizen, leaning on a walker for the physically disabled, suddenly turned the tables.
"I handed him the envelope and then the team moved in and took down the individual," Ryder said.
The suspect, Rafael Sanchez of Manhattan, is being held on $20,000 bond. His family and lawyer declined comment in court.
"Getting a phone call like that can motivate someone to act, because they want to help their loved one," Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said. "But it's important they take a breath, ask a question that might expose this as a fraud."
"I was kind of ready for this guy. My advice to anybody else is just hang up," the victim said.
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Investigators are looking into Whether the accused had accomplices.
Scams against senior citizens are becoming so prevalent that Singas felt compelled to open an Elder Crimes Unit.
