Police recently arrested an East Orange woman and a Newark woman accused of using a fraudulent check to pay for a car.
According to law enforcement, the 38-year-old suspect bought a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro from a resident in Little Falls, New Jersey. The resident had advertised the car for sale online.
The suspect paid for the vehicle with a $30,000 certified check from Bank of America. After handing the check to the victim, the suspect drove away in the car.
An unidentified man accompanied the suspect during the transaction. Investigators believe that the man is the suspect’s boyfriend.
A short time after the transaction, the victim tried to cash the certified check. However, bank employees informed the victim that the check was fraudulent.
The victim then contacted Little Falls NJ police and reported the vehicle as stolen.
Police eventually located the car at a residence in Newark, New Jersey. Detectives spoke with the resident, who said that he purchased the car for $9,500 in cash.
The car was purchased from a 25-year-old Newark NJ woman. Police believe that the second suspect was working with the first suspect to commit the fraud. The second suspect allegedly registered the car in her name after the first suspect used the fake check to buy it. The second suspect then reportedly sold the car to the man in Newark.
After conducting an investigation, Little Falls detectives placed the suspects under arrest without incident.
Both suspects have been charged with theft by deception, forgery, and check fraud.
After being arrested and charged, the second suspect was released from custody with a pending court date. The first suspect was released from custody after posting $20,000 bail.
According to police, the second suspect was arrested on a prior occasion for a similar scheme in Buena Vista Township, NJ.
For further information about this case, see the NJ.com article entitled “East Orange Woman Bought Camaro with Fake $30,000 Check, Police Say.”
