Crime Watch UES 06.15.23

Senior Victimized in IRS E-mail Scam

A 78-year-old woman living on East 79th St. told police that at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, June 2, she received an e-mail from an unknown individual claiming to work for the IRS. The e-mailer said she had broken laws and needed to pay $40,000 in cash or face jail time. She therefore withdrew the money from her bank account and placed it in a black shopping bag, which she was instructed to place in the back seat of a small dark colored SUV parked in front of 1534 Second Ave. Unfortunately, the woman did not see who was driving the car, nor did she get the license plate number.

AirTagged BMW Chopper Disappears

A 41-year-old man from Yonkers reported that at 8:50 a.m. on Friday, May 2, he parked his white-and-blue 2017 BMW S 1000 RR motorcycle with New York plates 227BC9 in front of 81 East 77th St. at Park Ave. When he returned at 9 p.m. he found that his chopper was missing. He had placed an Apple AirTag tracker on the bike and managed to track it to 749 Calhoun Ave. in the Bronx, where he then called 911. Regrettably, police were unable to find the bike at that location or in the neighborhood. The motorcycle was valued at $20,000.

Another Senior Duped in “Daughter in Trouble” Scam

According to police, at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 2, an 88-year-old man living on East 72nd St. got a phone call from his daughter, who said she was incarcerated and needed $14,500 in bail money. The senior got the money and was then approached by a 30-year-old man who climbed out of a black Toyota Sienna van, took the money and drove westbound on East 72nd St. It was only at this point that the senior called his daughter and discovered that she was home with her husband, making him yet another victim of this despicable “offspring in trouble” scam.

Mailed Check Intercepted and Altered

A 71-year-old woman living on East 87th St. told police that at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18, she had mailed a check in the amount of $2,526 to the Cosmopolitan Club, using the mailbox at Madison Ave. and East 86th St. On Friday, May 19, she learned that the check had been intercepted by an unknown suspect, white washed and made out to a “Josh Hamilton.” The altered check had been cashed in an unknown location.

Man Breaks in and Enters Nail Salon but Takes Nothing

A female employee at the Bloomie Nails & Spa salon at 1320 Madison Ave. between East 93rd St. and East 94th St. reported that when she arrived at work the morning of Friday, June 2, she found that the store’s front door glass had been broken. She reviewed surveillance camera footage and saw an unknown male suspect tampering with the front door before kicking in the glass. He then entered the location and searched the premises thoroughly but took nothing before fleeing on foot, heading northbound on Madison.