Man's Elder Scam Foiled By Savvy Senior: Nassau Police

A Yonkers man was arrested yesterday after police say an investigation showed he scammed a Nassau senior out of thousands of dollars.

According to police, on Nov. 15, 2019, an 87-year-old Franklin Square resident received a telephone call from a man who claimed to be his grandson saying he needed $5,000 for bail, and that he would be contacted by his attorney. A man claiming to be the attorney called later, police say, and told the victim to put $5,000 cash in an envelope in his mailbox the next day for pickup by a bail bondsman.

The victim was suspicions, and police say he stuffed the envelope full of paper and watched his mailbox the next day. When the "bail bondsman" arrived, the victim was able to see his face and wrote down the license plate of the car he was driving. The victim then called the police, and an investigation began.

Police say the detectives identified Hanlet Cabrera, 41, of Herriot Street, Yonkers as the man who picked up the envelope. He was arrested yesterday.

Cabrera was charged with third-degree attempted grand larceny and is scheduled to be arraigned today in First District Court in Hempstead.

Police ask anyone else who thinks they may have been a victim of this scheme to call 5th Squad detectives at (516) 573-6553, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.