Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter July 10: Bank fraud in two states

David Brito accused of fraudulently withdrawing $1,400 from Delmar bank

DELMAR – A man wanted in Massachusetts for allegedly using fraudulent federal identification to withdraw money from banks there found his way to the Sunmark Federal Credit Union branch on Delaware Avenue on April 10 and allegedly used a similar scheme to withdraw $1,400 from a member account there.

According to reports, Bethlehem detectives identified the man as David Brito, 34, of Rego Park, after providing a picture of him to the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center.

At 12:57 p.m. Brito allegedly entered the branch and used a fictitious passport card with the name of a member of the credit union. He was able to withdraw the cash and left the branch.

The fraudulent transaction was discovered about an hour later when another branch allerted them that a suspicious man was trying to withdraw money from multiple accounts. Brito was not successful at withdrawing from the other branches.

After detectives made the match, an investigation found that Brito was wanted in Westfield, Mass. for withdrawing funds from M&T Bank with a fraudulent federal ID and attempting withdrawals at other banks.

On May 9, Bethlehem detectives completed a warrant application for Brito. He was in the Columbia County jail on fugitive from justice charges for the Westfield case on June 25 when the jail notified Bethlehem police.

Brito was charged with grand larceny and identity theft, both felonies, for the April 10 incident in Delmar. He was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Andrew Kirby and released on his own recognizance to go back to the Columbia County jail on the fugitive charge.

He is scheduled back in Bethlehem Town Court on August 6.

The post Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter July 10: Bank fraud in two states first appeared on Spotlight News .