An 83-year-old woman was approached by an unknown man near Flatlands and Troy avenues around noon on September 18, and by the time he walked away, he had cashed an $11,000 check drawn from her own bank account. Police say the man forced the senior to accompany him to a local bank, made her withdraw a cashier's check in that amount, cashed it himself, and then dropped her off elsewhere.
According to Brooklyn Eagle, the NYPD has released a photo of the man credited to the department. The theft happened in the Flatlands section of southeastern Brooklyn, an area patrolled by the NYPD's 63rd Precinct, which covers 8.96 square miles across the borough, according to the NYPD.
What New York Law Says About the Theft
Under New York law, a Class D felony conviction carries a maximum sentence of up to seven years in state prison, according to Saland Law.
It remains unclear how the suspect managed to walk the woman into a bank branch and cash such a large check without triggering intervention from tellers, a question raised by federal guidance on elder financial exploitation. A 2024 interagency statement says financial institutions may consider employee training and other tools to address elder financial exploitation, according to reporting from For The People. Police have not disclosed which bank branch processed the cashier's check or whether surveillance footage from the branch or surrounding streets has produced any leads, per the same Brooklyn Eagle report.
Advocacy groups have pushed for stronger safeguards in response to that toll. AARP New York has backed state legislation that would let bank tellers and financial advisors temporarily delay transactions and notify law enforcement when they suspect elder financial exploitation is underway, according to AARP.
How to Report Tips or Seek Help
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the suspect to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers. Tips can also be submitted online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or sent directly to @NYPDTips on X.
New Yorkers concerned about ongoing elder coercion or financial exploitation can contact NYC Adult Protective Services at 1-800-342-3009, or reach the 24-hour New York State Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-844-697-3505, according to the Morgan Legal Group. No arrests have been announced in the Flatlands case as the investigation continues.
