Man Charged With Trying To Take Grandma's Money Ordered Held

RANDOLPH, MA — A Randolph man who attempted to withdraw money from his grandmother’s bank account, and then took her on a joy ride as police chased them, was ordered held on bail Wednesday.

Patrick Laubenstein, 27, was arraigned in Quincy District Court Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty to abusing an elderly person, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, speeding, and a marked lane violation.

The judge ordered Laubenstein to be held on $7,500 bail. But because this arrest violated the terms of a bail on another, separate, trial he will be held behind bars for 40 days.

If he posts bail at that time, the judge ordered Laubenstein to stay alcohol and drug free, submit to random testing, have no contact with his grandmother, and wear a GPS monitor.

Authorities allege that Laubenstein walked into the Envision Bank on North Main Street in Randolph Tuesday alone and attempted to withdraw cash from his grandmother’s account, but he wasn't able to without her. An employee, who was familiar with Laubenstein's grandmother, said she was willing to walk to the victim’s nearby home to clear the transaction, but Laubenstein told the employee his grandmother wasn’t home and left, according to a police report read in court.

The next day he allegedly picked his grandmother up from a rehab facility in Milford and drove to the bank’s drive-thru window in Randolph. A bank employee, concerned something wasn't quite right, attempted to delay the transaction as they alerted police that the grandmother was in the backseat of Laubenstein’s car. But the man drove off before police arrived.

Laubenstein allegedly led police on a chase through Randolph, with his grandmother in the car, eventually driving up Route 24 and Interstate 93 to Milton, where he was taken into custody.

Neil Madden, Laubenstein's attorney, said in court that the grandmother voluntarily left, making the case about traffic infractions.

“Nowhere in that reading did you hear anything about neglect, abuse or distress,” he said. “The fact that she wants to give him $1,000 should not change anything.”

When asked after the arraignment why Laubenstein took off and led police on a chase, Madden said his client may have been nervous.

The grandmother told police she was aware that her grandson was withdrawing money from her account but was unaware of the police chase because of her poor vision, according to the police report.

Family members told police that the older woman was taken from the rehab facility during a discussion about hospice care for her, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Two family members told police that the grandmother was enabling Laubenstein’s substance abuse issues.

Laubenstein is scheduled to head back to court June 11.

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Photo: Patrick Laubenstein, 27, was arraigned in Quincy District Court Wednesday. Credit: Dan Libon/Patch Staff