Police: Freeport Woman Scammed Wantagh Business

A Freeport woman is facing grand larceny charges that includes scamming a Wantagh business.

According to detectives, in a scheme to defraud, between April and December of 2009, Maria Romero, 44, advertised rooms and/or apartments for rent at Compare Foods located at 11 Merrick Road in Freeport. Romero, using handwritten signs with tear off phone numbers, lured victims into a rental scam. After taking cash deposits from unwary victims, Romero knowingly took money for rooms and apartments that were currently rented and occupied, detectives said.  

Detectives said Romero used this same rental scam at a Freeport property she rented on 716 Guy Lombardo Ave. that is owned by G&M Mechanical in Wantagh. To pay for the rented property, Romero used forged international money orders as payment to the owner of G&M Mechanical, which is located on 1866 Seaford Ave. 

On Friday at 11:30 a.m., Romero was located and placed under arrest by investigating detectives without incident. 

Romero is charged with third-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree grand larceny, three counts of petit larceny and third-degree forgery. She is scheduled to be arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead. 

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