Police: 'Organized' Group Wanted For Scamming Bank Tellers On Long Island
ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police have released surveillance images of a group of people they say have been scamming banks on Long Island since January.
Police believe the suspects are part of an organized group that has been using a "quick change scam" to steal thousands of dollars from at least 12 Long Island banks, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported.
The suspects ask tellers to exchange thousands of dollars in $50 or $100 bills for different denominations, police said. Once they get the money, they then ask for it in euros or coins.
According to detectives, once the suspects are told that Euros or coins are not available they pretend to return all the money, but short the tellers about $1,000. Police said the suspects worked in concert as they were strategically placed at banks scattered around Suffolk County, simultaneously pulling off the same crime.
"They seem to be organized. They seem to be professional, that is why we suspect they've hit many more banks," Suffolk County Police Chief Kevin Fallon said.
He said that tellers should be educated and trained for the con. The quick change distraction scheme has been successful more than a dozen times.
"A little bit of a shell game there, as they start handing the other money back to the teller, they will pocket some of it and it is done very cleverly, like a magician-- deceit and distraction," Fallon said.
Bank customers are outraged.
"Get real jobs, get real work, it's ridiculous," one customer told CBS2's McLogan.
CBS2 spoke to a clerk who was the victim of the scam.
"They'll ask for cash, or to trade out and get smaller bills and then they change their mind and then it's just a confusion piece and it's too late, they've pocketed the money and are out," Kelly Palt said.
Police are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.