Senior citizen targeted for theft in Smithtown, police say
Suffolk County police released a surveillance image of one of two suspects sought in a distraction theft targeting a senior citizen at a bank in Smithtown on Oct. 31, 2015. Credit: SCPD
Police are searching for two men who they said stole money in a distraction theft at a bank in Smithtown last year and that detectives are pursuing the incident as a hate crime because they believe the suspects targeted the victim — and may have targeted other victims — because he is a senior citizen.
The incident began at a Chase bank branch on Route 347 on Oct. 31, Suffolk County police said.
Police said one of the suspects followed the victim into the bank, then followed him to another nearby bank, New York Community Bank, with one of the suspects distracting the victim — while the other suspect broke into the victim’s car, stealing his cash. Police did not say how much was taken.
The theft took place at about 11:40 a.m.
Police said the suspects then fled in a small gray vehicle, but did not provide a vehicle description.
Detectives ask anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-8477. All calls will remain confidential.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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