ELDERLY WOMAN DUPED IN PHONE SCAM
On Friday, Jan, 18, an 86-year-old woman living at West 62nd Street received a phone call from a person claiming to be a relative. This person asked her to send $9,960 to a bank in California. The victim sent the money directly from her bank account. The phone call was found to be fraudulent. No arrests have been made as of yet, but the perpetrator, when caught, will be charged with grand larceny.

DRY CLEANERS ON AMSTERDAM BROKEN INTO
On Sunday, Jan. 20, a 40-year-old male employee and his friend arrived at a dry cleaning shop on Amsterdam Avenue. They discovered the glass entrance door had been shattered and the register containing $800 in cash had been removed. The break-in occurred sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning. There were no security cameras at the crime scene, so an image of the perpetrator was not captured, and the case is still open.

NOT PLAYING AROUND: PLAYSTATION STOLEN IN BURGLARY
A 36-year-old man reported a break-in at his apartment on Columbus Avenue on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 18. The burglar reportedly entered the apartment building through the rear door and stole the victim’s PlayStation, watch, wallet with credit cards, power drill and $300 in cash. The thief then fled through the rear door, and although a search was conducted, the perpetrator was not found. One of the victim’s credit cards was used once, but it has since been canceled. The case is open, and police are working with video surveillance from the scene.

SECRETARY ALLEGEDLY STEALS FROM FORMER BOSS
A 70-year-old woman reported that her former secretary had been taking money orders from her apartment at West 72nd Street. In total, five money orders, amounting to $5,000, have allegedly been stolen and cashed. The money has not been recovered. Police are on the lookout for the former secretary, who is described as a 20-year-old black woman with long straight hair.

TEACHER’S WALLET STOLEN
A 26-year-old female teacher at a high school on Amsterdam Avenue put her wallet on a desk in her classroom on Jan. 14. She left for three hours, and when she returned, the wallet was missing. In total, three credit cards and some gift cards were stolen, along with the Louis Vuitton wallet worth $450. No arrests have been made yet, but the perp is likely to be arrested for grand larceny.

YOUTHS’ PHONES SWIPED

Last Monday, three male middle-school-aged friends were walking down West 83rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway, when two unknown male youths approached them. One perp told the boys, “If you don’t give me your phone, I’ll shoot,” and patted his jacket, indicating a hidden gun. One youth gave up his phone, while one suspect grabbed another boy’s backpack and swiped his phone. The muggers warned the victims, “not a word,” and they walked away. In total, one Droid and another cellphone were stolen.

TWO SENIORS SWINDLED
Last Thursday, a 74-year-old Upper West Side resident reported a disturbing discovery to police. After the woman noticed that someone was withdrawing money from the joint account she shares with her 90-year-old mother, she investigated with Chase bank. She was shocked to find that an unknown person had been taking money from her mother’s accounts for the past two years—to the tune of $33,753. The elderly mother had lost her bank card, and her daughter told police neither she nor her mother has any idea who could have gained access to her funds.

I BROKE INTO AN APARTMENT AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY LOCKBOX
A 36-year-old woman returned from vacation last Tuesday to find that her apartment on West 81st Street had been broken into. Her glass patio door was shattered, but all that was stolen was an empty lockbox. The break-in occurred sometime between Dec. 31 and Jan. 8. During this time, the only person with access to the apartment was her pet caretaker, the victim said. No arrests have been made.

CON MEN DUPE ELDERLY WOMAN
Last Monday, an 81-year-old woman living at Central Park West received a phone call from a man posing as her grandson, who said he was in jail in Mexico City. Another man, claiming to be a sergeant from the American Embassy, told the woman to send $21,000 in bail. The victim wired over the money. Another man on the phone asked for an additional $1,800 dollars, which she sent over, but the transaction did not go through. Afterward, the victim spoke with her real grandson, who apparently was at work in New York at the time of the phone calls. The con men’s calls emanated from the 514 (Montreal) area code.

CREDIT CARD THIEF MAKES ‘YUMMY’ PURCHASES
A 76-year-old man living at West 72nd Street reported a credit card theft last Tuesday. He had received a phone call from Citibank informing him of unauthorized transactions on his credit card totaling $5,300 made by Yummy Tummy Catering. The victim could not find his credit card, which is usually at home, and canceled the card. The theft occurred sometime between Nov. 26 and Jan. 8.