Hempstead man charged with stealing checks, debit card, cops say

A Hempstead man has been charged with stealing checks and a debit card from a 60-year-old woman and racking up thousands of dollars in purchases, Nassau police said.

Police said that beginning in July, Tyrone Pyatt, 27, stole two checks from the victim, whom he knew. He forged her signature and deposited the checks, which were made payable to his name.

Later, Pyatt stole the woman's debit card and began making small purchases that eventually totaled more than $4,700, police said. Altogether, Pyatt cost the victim more than $12,000, police said.

A police spokeswoman said the bank eventually noticed the fraudulent activity and started their own investigation, then notified police.

Bureau of Special Operations officers located Pyatt on Wednesday at his home and arrested him without incident, police said.

Pyatt, of 100 Terrace Avenue, is charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at First District Court in Hempstead.