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An investigation was launched on April 12, when investigators from the Bronxville Police Department received information that individuals may be using the Bronxville Trustco Bank on Park Place to make fraudulent bank transactions using checks that were stolen from area mailboxes.
Investigators said that it was determined that checks stolen from the mail were being deposited into accounts, which were opened with fraudulent documents and subsequent withdrawals were then made from the accounts.
The seven-week investigation led to the arrests of seven suspects from the Bronx, who are now facing charges.
One day after launching the investigation, police busted Chaz Broadnax, 26, and Andrew Barrington, 29, after a bank manager reported that the pair were attempting to cash a fraudulent check valued at $13,963.20 that is believed to be stolen from the mail.
Broadnax and Barrington were each charged with a felony count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Both were remanded to the Westchester County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.
That same day, detectives and patrol personnel set up field surveillance on the bank and apprehended Antionette Williams, 29, after she withdrew $9,800 from the same fraudulent account and attempted to flee in the same getaway car used the day before. While busting Williams, police found Taylor Williams, 29, who was a passenger in the car, who had a warrant out for his arrest in Pittsburgh, and he was also taken into custody.
Further investigation following the arrest led to an additional charge for Antoinette Williams on a felony charge of criminal possession of a forged instrument after she allegedly deposited a $51,749.76 check at the bank that was stolen from the mail.
On May 5, officers conducting surveillance at the Bronxville Post Office spotted Leovigildo Ramos, 24, and his driver, Jordy Bulgos, 17, steal mail from the mailbox outside the location and get back in the vehicle. Upon his arrest, Bulgos was found to be in possession of a United States Postal Arrow Key, which can be used to access postal mailboxes.
A third suspect, a juvenile whose name will not be released, was also taken into custody before being released to a parent. All were charged with a felony count of third-degree grand larceny.
The investigation also led to the arrest of Toniann Stahl on May 22, after she allegedly cashed a $14,697.65 check at Trustco Bank in March. She has been charged with third-degree grand larceny, a felony.
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