By: Richard L. Smith
Police in Montclair are investigating a theft after a woman reported that a man posing as someone raising money for a basketball team allegedly stole $2,500 from her Venmo credit account.
According to the Montclair Police Department, the incident occurred on July 2 near The Crescent Parking Deck.
The victim told officers she was walking to her vehicle in the small parking lot adjacent to the deck when she was approached by a man who appeared to be about 19 or 20 years old.
The suspect reportedly told the woman he was raising money for his basketball team and showed her what he claimed was the team’s website.
Believing she was making a small donation, the woman opened her Venmo account to send a few dollars.
Police said the suspect then took the victim’s cellphone from her hand and held onto it for about a minute before returning it and fleeing the area.
Afterward, the victim discovered that $2,500 had been transferred from her Venmo credit account to another account without her authorization.
The suspect is described as a dark-skinned Black male wearing black shorts and a black shirt, with twists or locks in his hair.
The investigation remains active as police work to identify and locate the suspect.
Authorities are reminding residents to never hand their unlocked cellphones to strangers and to closely monitor payment apps while making electronic transactions.