Crime & Safety

Police Blotter: Hackers Steal More Than $5,000 From Local Woman's Bank Account

Latest police news include multiple thefts and a concealed carry violation during traffic stop.

The is warning residents of the danger of electronic theft after a Birmingham woman had more than $5,000 stolen from her bank account Jan. 11.

According to police reports, the woman recently purchased a laptop computer and was doing some online banking using wireless internet at her home. While working, she received an e-mail that appeared to be from her bank, saying her bank account had been compromised. She was instructed to open at an attachment to the e-mail and fill out a form to submit a fraud claim. Reports say the woman had no anti-virus protection on her computer.

Police say the e-mail she received was bogus and by opening the attachment and submitting her personal information, those behind the scam were able to access her bank account and withdraw money. Deputy Police Chief Mark Clemence said the money was tracked out of state, and the woman is working with the bank to retrieve her money.

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Clemence said Birmingham police are working to identify a suspect, but because the crime occurred online and the money was transferred outside state lines, this kind of fraud is more difficult to investigate and prosecute.

"This is happening thousands and thousands of times every day," Clemence said. "The Internet causes a huge problem for law enforcements." The question of jurisdiction and remotely investigating cases in another state has "given the law all kinds of problems," he said, especially because the federal government has little time to investigate the thousands of inter-state online fraud cases that occur every day.

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"Who's going to investigate it? Where will they be prosecuted? Who's going to pay for (transporting the suspect)?" Clemence said. "This is why it's the No. 1 crime going."

In other Birmingham police news:

Woman faces charges after failing to disclose concealed weapon

An Inkster woman was charged with weapons violations after police stopped her for speeding early Monday, Birmingham police said.

According to police reports, a patrol car stopped the woman for speeding Monday around 3 a.m. on Old Woodward, near Oak Street. According to reports, the officer observed a pistol lying on the floor in the back. It was then that the woman told the officer the gun was hers and she had a permit to carry a concealed weapon (or CCW). However, Michigan law requires that those carrying firearms—even if they have a permit—must immediately disclose to police officers, during a traffic stop or otherwise, they are carrying a weapon. The officer charged the woman for failing to disclose her concealed weapon, as well as speeding.

After finding the gun, the officer placed the woman in custody so he could search her car. While placing her in the police car, he smelled alcohol on the woman's breath. After performing a Breathalyzer test, he determined she had a blood alcohol content of 0.1 percent, which is over the legal limit for driving. Because the woman was already in custody, the officer issued a CCW violation for carrying her weapon while intoxicated.

Thief breaks into house, steals jewelry

Police are investigating after jewelry was reported stolen from a home on the 1700 block of East Maple Road on Tuesday. According to police reports, the theft occurred while the resident was at work, sometime between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The homeowner reported that when she returned home, it appeared someone had rummaged through her belongings. It was later determined someone entered the house through an unlocked back garage door and two to three pieces of "high-end" jewelry were missing from the bedroom.

Packages taken from outside home

Three packages were reported stolen from a house stoop on the 1000 block of Adams Road on Jan. 12. According to police reports, the homeowner said she ordered three packages online that were to be delivered by UPS to her home on Jan. 10. When she arrived home around 7 p.m., there were no packages there, she told police. UPS informed her the packages had been delivered earlier that day. The approximate value of the packages is $150.

If you have any tips, contact the Birmingham Police Department at 248-530-1889.


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