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Carlos Liriano-Cruz, 21, convinced the victims that their grandson was in police custody and needed the cash for bail, Police Chief Brian T. Clancy said.
Liriano-Cruz, of Paterson, had gone to their house, collected the money and began heading back to a vehicle parked up the street when the father realized they'd been conned, the chief said.
The victim followed Liriano-Cruz and recorded a short video of him and his car with his cellphone, Clancy said.
Liriano-Cruz responded by assaulting the victim, taking his phone and fleeing, he said.
New Milford police distributed images to their colleagues throughout the state and instantly got help.
"Information obtained from numerous law enforcement agencies assisted with the positive identification of the suspect and vehicle," Clancy said.
Paterson police assisted New Milford detectives in seizing Liriano-Cruz at his East 26th Street home, the chief said. He was charged with strong-arm robbery, theft, assault and receiving stolen property, records show.
Meanwhile, authorities in other jurisdictions were eyeing him for similar scams in their towns.
Clancy singled out Detective Lt. Nelson Perez for cracking the case.
"He worked around the clock to get this violent criminal off the street in one week," the chief said. "We are hoping these serious charges are not downgraded and the courts realize how dangerous this criminal is.”
As it turned out, Liriano-Cruz spent eight days in the Bergen County Jail before a judge ordered him released, with conditions, pending trial on the New Milford charges.
Clancy cautioned citizens to be wary of grandparent scams, which prey on older victims who could get anxious when hearing that a loved one is in trouble.
Such scams have become all too common. So many people have fallen for the "grandson in trouble" that the FTC said it contributed to combined losses to victims across the U.S. of $328 million in a single year.
Victims 70 and older have suffered the highest average losses, the AARP reports.
Authorities say anyone who gets a call from anyone saying they are in danger or trouble and need money should follow some simple steps:
- Take a moment to calm yourself;
- Say that you must consult another family member first;
- Hang up and call a loved one.
- Then call police.
If the emergency turns out to be real, you can still respond appropriately. If it's not, you’ve saved yourself from becoming a victim.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Please share this story with elderly parents, relatives or friends. If they weren't already aware, warn them about the dangers and advise them on how to respond.
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