Five Towns Crime Watch

Petit larceny

LAWRENCE-Between 7:10 and 8:40 p.m. on March 7 at a gym on Mill Street, a man’s personal property was stolen from his locker, officials said.

LAWRENCE-On March 8 at 2:30 p.m. at a store on Rockaway Turnpike, Imran Rafique, 48, of Ozone Park, was arrested for shoplifting, according to police.

CEDARHURST-On Centre Street at 3 p.m. on March 8, a delivered package was stolen from a woman’s porch, police said.

Beware of bogus IRS scams

The Nassau County Police Department are earning residents to be cautious when receiving telephone solicitations or emails from people identifying themselves as Internal Revenue Service employees.
    The IRS does not and will not ask for credit card numbers over the phone, nor request a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.
    Other characteristics of this scam may include: Fake names and IRS badge numbers. Knowing the last four digits of a potential victim’s Social Security number. Making it appear on caller Id that the IRS is calling. Phony emails to support the fake phone calls. Background noise that mimics a call site. Threatening people with jail time or loss of a driver’s license, then hanging up and calling back pretending to be the local police or Department of Motor Vehicles.
    Residents should also be aware that there are other unrelated scams (such as a lottery sweepstakes) and solicitations (such as debt relief) that the police department sees from time to time. These scams cost citizens thousands of unrecoverable dollars.
    If you believe you may have been a victim of any of these scams, call 911 immediately. Anyone with information that could lead to the arrest is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 244-8477. All calls are confidential