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The arrests stemmed from an incident on Friday, Sept. 15, when an elderly couple living in Harrison received a phone call from someone claiming to be their grandson who claimed they needed money to make bail after being arrested for a DUI offense, Harrison Police announced.
The couple then traveled to a bank and took out $9,000 in cash in order to help their "grandson," not realizing that they were being scammed.
Two men, identified as Bronx residents Derly Marte, age 42, and Jaime Castillo, age 35, then arrived in Harrison and took the $9,000 from the couple, police said.
Authorities began investigating the theft a day later and eventually identified Marte and Castillo as the suspects, who were both apprehended in the Bronx on Tuesday, Sept. 26 and Wednesday, Sept. 27.
Both suspects were charged with third-degree grand larceny. Marte is currently being held in Westchester County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail, while Castillo was later released on his own recognizance, according to authorities.
Harrison Police currently believe the duo may have been involved in other "grandma scams" across Westchester. The investigation is still ongoing and more charges may be added, the department said.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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