Theft By Deception, Criminal Mischief, Forgery: Princeton Police Blotter

The following is a summary of incidents as reported by Princeton Police:

On April 3, at 12 p.m., officers responded to headquarters for a report of theft by deception. A woman reported that on Jan. 07 she was contacted via text message by an individual posing as Apple Financial Support, who claimed there was an unauthorized $25,000 transaction on her account. The woman was instructed to repay the funds in Bitcoin to avoid arrest. Acting under fear, the victim withdrew approximately $24,000 from multiple bank locations and deposited the funds into Bitcoin ATMs using information provided by the suspect. In early March, the woman was contacted again by individuals posing as federal prosecutors who claimed she was implicated in a fraud investigation and placed on a no-fly list. She was instructed to pay a $9,000 retainer for legal representation, which she mailed via check. After sending the funds, all communication ceased. The woman sustained a total financial loss of $33,000. The incident was determined to be part of a fraud scheme.

On April 5, at 8:41 p.m., officers responded to Moore Street for a reported three-car motor vehicle crash with no injuries. Investigation revealed that one of the involved drivers, a Princeton resident, was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. He was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters for processing.While at headquarters, he failed to provide adequate breath samples and was additionally charged with refusal to submit to breath testing, along with several other motor vehicle violations. He was later released to a sober adult pending court.

On April 5, a resident reported that an unknown person(s) gained unauthorized access to her Bank of America account and conducted multiple fraudulent transactions between Feb. 1, and February 18. The victim reported a total loss of approximately $1,303.83. The transactions occurred at various locations, including businesses in New Jersey and California. There are no suspects at this time.

On April 5, at 5:32 a.m., officers responded to a home on Nassau Street for a report of criminal mischief. The resident reported that the door to his mailbox had been damaged and found displaced from its latches. The victim stated that nothing was taken, and the value of the damage is unknown at this time. The incident is believed to have occurred sometime prior to the report. No surveillance cameras were located in the area and there are no suspects at this time.

On April 6, at 6:27 p.m., a resident reported that their check was stolen from the Post Office or home's mailbox on Murray Place by unknown actor(s). A monetary loss of approximately $4,713.00 was suffered as a result of this incident. No suspects are known at this time.

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