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Police received a complaint on Tuesday, Nov. 19, of suspicious activity concerning the delivery of packages to vacant homes for sale.
On Friday, Nov. 22, police received a call from a UPS security about suspicious deliveries scheduled to be delivered to two vacant homes for sale in eastern Fairfield County in the town of Monroe.
Surveillance was set up on each of the homes. A vehicle was observed driving past each of the homes prior to the delivery of the packages, according to Monroe Police.
At approximately 9:15 a.m. one of the packages was delivered to one of the vacant homes under surveillance. At approximately 9:53 a.m., the same vehicle from earlier in the morning pulled up to the home and an occupant retrieved the package from the front porch, police said.
Monroe Police Department officers took custody of both the operator of the vehicle, Henry A. Mercedes, 46, and the passenger who retrieved the package, Edward Miguel Roasario-Canela, 45. Both men reside in the Bronx.
Upon the search of the packages by UPS security, it was discovered that the first package contained $18,900.00 in cash and the second contained $23,900 in cash. The combined amount was $42,800 in cash. Several forged identifications related to the vacant for-sale homes were located in possession of each of the men, according to police.
Through an extensive investigation, it was determined the men were retrieving proceeds from telephone scams involving the elderly grandparents who were told that their grandchildren were at fault in a fatal motor vehicle crash and need money for legal fees sent to them.
Two victims have been identified, one in North Carolina and another in Texas. The investigation is ongoing and will involve other law enforcement agencies.
Rosario-Canela was charged with second-degree forgery, criminal impersonation, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, criminal attempt at first-degree larceny and second-degree forgery. He was held on $50,000 bond.
Mercedes was charged with second-degree forgery, criminal impersonation, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, criminal attempt at first-degree larceny and second-degree forgery. He was held on $50,000 bond and will be arraigned at Bridgeport Superior Court on Monday, Nov. 25.
"We would like to ask the public to report any suspicious activity around or near vacant or for-sale homes to your local police departments," Monroe Police Department Lieutenant Stephen Corrone said.
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