Theft By Deception: Princeton Police Blotter

Editor's Note: One or more names in this report have been redacted in light of additional documentation provided regarding this case.

The following is a summary of incidents as reported by Princeton Police:

On Aug. 20, a resident lost her cat and posted advisories on several online websites in an attempt to locate the cat. The woman reported to police that she sent an unknown individual, who she believed had located her missing cat, three separate transactions, which totaled $100 via Zelle. The woman said that after the third transaction, she realized that she may have been a victim of a scam. She suffered a total monetary loss of $100. The suspect(s) are unknown at this time.

On Aug. 20, at 3:59 p.m., a man reported that an unknown person(s) stole his bicycle valued at $500 while it was parked in the bike storage located on Albert Way sometime between June 01 and July 20. There are no suspects at this time.

On Aug. 20, at 2:54 p.m., it was reported that on Aug. 19, between 3:09 p.m. and 3:25 p.m., an unidentified man shoplifted groceries valued at $385.38 from a supermarket located on North Harrison Street. The suspect is described as an Asian man, possibly in his 40s or 50s, approximately 5’2” tall, weighing between 130–150 lbs., and wearing a black shirt, black pants, gray/white sneakers, and a black hat with a white logo. The incident, which included the theft of various food items and household goods, was captured on store surveillance cameras. The surveillance footage has been secured as evidence, and the investigation is ongoing.

On Aug. 21, at 6:12 p.m., patrols responded to a business located on Nassau Street for a report of a fraud attempt. A man attempted to purchase a Rolex watch by using a fraudulent Pennsylvania driver’s license to open an account. While store staff were verifying the credentials, the man left the premises, leaving the fraudulent identification behind. No monetary loss was reported as a result of the incident. The suspect is described as a Black man in his 20s to 30s, approximately 6’2” tall, 225 pounds, wearing a gray hoodie with black writing on the sleeves, blue jeans, and white Nike sneakers. This incident remains under investigation.

On Aug. 22, at 6:52 p.m., patrols responded to a business located on State Road for a reported shoplifting incident. Store staff reported that a man entered the store and removed multiple RoC Skin Care products with a total value of $1,147.36 before leaving without paying. The suspect is described as a light-skinned Black male, approximately 35 to 45 years old, about 5’8” tall, heavyset, bald, with a dark beard and mustache. He was last seen wearing black glasses, a white T-shirt, a black zip-up hooded sweatshirt, and black pants. The investigation is ongoing.

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