Pelham Police Blotter: Phone Scams and Night Stalkers

Woman Followed by Suspicious Vehicle, Aug. 6, 2012
A woman called Pelham police after she allegedly saw a black SUV following her in the area of Lincoln and Fifth avenues.

The woman was walking from Mount Vernon to Oasis Shelter in New Rochelle when she noticed a small black SUV following her.

Police arrived at the scene, but were unable to find the vehicle. Police transported the woman to her destination without further incident.

Man Scammed of More $21,000, Aug.1, 2012
A Pelham man lost more than $21,000 after a scammer lied and told him the money was needed to bail his grandson out of a Mexican jail.

The victim told Pelham police that the incident happened at about 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 when a man called him and told him his grandson was on vacation in Mexico and had been arrested for driving while intoxicated and drug possession.

Another man claiming to be a lawyer from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico also got on the phone and told the victim that he needed to transfer $2,844 to Mexico City using a Western Union.

The victim wired the money and received another calling from the scammers claiming another $21,539 needed to be wired from his Chase Bank account to an account associated with a bank in Peru.

The man transferred the money, but contacted police after he realized he had been scammed.

Police escorted the victim to Western Money so that he could $2,844 he wired. Police also contacted Chase Bank as part of their investigation.