72-year-old resident wired money twice to claim nonexistent win
The $500,000 prize would only require a $2,500 tax payment, the 72-year-old Kennett Square resident was told – a standard ruse used to lure unsuspecting victims, borough police said.
On Jan. 18, the resident told police about a Jan. 14 telephone call requesting the $2,500 wire transfer; after complying, the victim received a second call on Tuesday stating that the wired funds did not go through; as instructed, the victim wired additional money, police said. A third phone call came on Jan. 17, explaining the courier was at the airport but required more money, police said. The victim, who had no more funds to send, called police, who explained the scam and are continuing to investigate.
Kennett Square police are also investigating an attempted theft that sometime between Jan. 11 at 10:30 p.m. and Jan. 14 at 10:20 a.m. Police said the passenger-side window was smashed out of a vehicle parked in the 500 block of South Walnut Street, but nothing was reported stolen.
An attempted burglary on Jan. 11 in the 100 block of South Walnut Street is under investigation, police said. A resident reported leaving home at 8 p.m. and locking the door, police said. Upon returning to the residence at 11:30 p.m., the front door had been broken off the hinges but nothing was reported stolen, police said.
Kennett Square police made two recent drunken-driving arrests. Alfredo Villalobos-Nunez, 38, of West Grove, was arrested after a traffic stop on Jan. 19 at 8:36 p.m. in the 200 block of East Cypress Street, police said. Juan Mondragon-Trujillo, 23, of Kennett Square, was arrested on Jan. 13 at 8:08 p.m. in the 400 block of East South Street following a complaint of an erratic driver in the 600 block of South Walnut Street, police said.
