Crime Blotter: $3.5 Million Prize a Scam, Catalytic Converter Snatched, Pole Barn Fire
The following information was supplied by Chesterfield Township police. Any arrest information does not indicate convictions.
Multi-million win leads to $400 loss
A Chesterfield Township man lost hundreds of dollars after a con artist claimed the resident won $3.5 million, police said.
On March 20, the man received a phone call from someone pretending to be a Publishers Clearing House representative. The caller told him that he won $3.5 million and would need to buy a $400 Green Dot PayPal card but not to scratch off the authorization code, according to the police report.
The man bought it, only to find out there was no prize and the $400 had been removed from the card, police said.
Loud engine sounds signs of theft
A Chesterfield Township resident reported the catalytic converter on her vehicle had been stolen last month, according to police.
The woman told police March 17 her engine sounded extremely loud. It had been parked under a carport since March 11 on Central Village Road, the report stated.
Police found that the part had been removed from the car.
Electric heating unit sparks fire in barn
A pole barn caught fire around 11 p.m. March 16 on 26 Mile in Chesterfield, according to police.
A neighbor notified the property owner of the fire that started in a hutch attached to the barn that contained one rabbit. The hutch was completely burned and the flames spread to the barn, the report states.
Another pet rabbit in an adjourning hutch was saved from the fire. Township firefighters put out the blaze and there was no evidence of arson, police said.
For more information on this blotter, contact christy.arboscello@patch.com.
Dave
7:05 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012
So this is a good thing that the police are now taking reports.
I don't see how they are going to present them for prosecution yet. Did they ask any of the neighbors for the stolen catalytic converter if they saw anything? Did they try to find out the identity of the con man? They still need to do an investigation before filing a final report and closing these cases. They still need to find the suspects... or at least make an effort to.
The report of the barn fire looks like it's complete enough for the insurance company already.
Michael Dwells
7:23 pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
"The caller told him that he won $3.5 million and would need to buy a $400 Green Dot PayPal card but not to scratch off the authorization code, according to the police report."
--- Anti-Scam Rule No. 1: Sweepstakes win does not require the winner to pay any
fee to claim the prize.
--- Anti-Scam Rule No. 2: If it's too good to be true, it probably IS.
I got these tips from http://www.callercenter.com and I find it rather fit for this article. Glad you brought this up.
Dave
12:57 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Most everyone knows those tips Michael.. everyone also wants to beleive they are the exception to the rule and they aren't being lied to. That's the way the cons work. They're usually fast talkers like telemarketers are. What i'd like to know is what is where did the caller tell him to buy the card at...how was it possible for the buyer of the card to not scatch off the code.. cause i've bought those before and the store clerk activates the cards. Did the caller have some connection with the clerk? May of even been the clerk pulling the scam.
I just think there are clues there the police could follow up which might lead to a suspect. How did the con man get the phone number.. get some answers to these questions and it should lead to the suspect.
Dave
1:09 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
What i'd like to find out from the police report is did the guy who got conned save the card for fingerprints. Not that it would be necessary but just in case put it in a plastic baggie or something or did he turn it over to the police already? Should be able to get the clerks, victims, suspects and proberly the stock persons fingerprints. I haven't seen a whole lot of customers ever handling one. How did he get a blank or expired card?