Craigslist Sale Results in Grand Larceny Bust

A Brooklyn man was arrested in East Garden City Monday after trying to purchase a car from Craigslist with fraudulent checks, Nassau County Crimes Against Property (CAP) Squad detectives report.

After answering an add on Craigslist for a Mercedes for sale for $12,500, defendant Derrick Boothe, 24, met with the owner and left a $1,000 deposit for the vehicle, according to Detective Rispoli of the CAP Squad.

On Monday, police said Boothe met with the owner again in order to sign a bill of sale for the Mercedes. The defendant paid the owner with $10,140 in U.S. postal money orders.

According to detectives, the owner informed the defendant that he wanted to verify the money orders with the bank before releasing the title and vehicle. The owner took the money orders to the post office where U.S. postal inspectors were notified. Further investigation revealed the money orders were purchased with debit cards from various banks accounts that had been funded with fraudulent checks, according to the police report.

When the defendant arrived to pick up the vehicle on Monday, the owner refunded his money as well as the money orders. Detectives were at scene and placed the defendant under arrest.

Police report that the banking institutions sustained a financial loss in excess of $5,900.

Boothe was charged with third-degree grand larceny, first-degree defraud and is expected to be arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Wednesday.