Police Say Greed Led Eight Suspects Into Police Custody In Radnor
By Syma Chowdhry
RADNOR, Pa. (CBS) – Police say greed is what led eight people with outstanding warrants right into their custody.
Radnor Township Police worked with Haverford and Marple Township police to organize a sting to try and catch 46 people wanted for a variety of crimes.
Police sent those wanted letters saying that they had about $2,000 in unclaimed cash in their name.
The letter instructed them to call and make an appointment at a storefront police had rented out.
"They were getting a pretty significant refund if they would come into the office. They had to bring in the letter with them, as well as two forms of identification," explains Lt. Andy Block, of the Radnor Township Police Department.
And police went to great lengths to cover their tracks.
"The phones were registered, so if someone googled the phone number online, it came back to this fictitious bureau as well," Block says.
Between December 1st and December 9th, eight people showed up to their appointments and were taken into custody on the spot. They were wanted for fines, DUIs, theft or burglary.
Police wore body cameras during the arrests, and they say some people didn't understand they had been tricked.
"After they were taken into custody, they asked the question if they were still going to get the check, could they use that towards their bail, in a very serious manner. We explained to them the letter was fictitious," Block says.
"There is greed involved here, and this time of the year, it's what we were looking at with Christmas coming about to try to get these warrants satisfied," he adds.
Five of the eight people arrested paid off fines that were due, two are out on bail facing preliminary hearings and one is still in jail.
It's the first time Radnor Township police orchestrated a sting like this, but they plan to do more in the future and called the operation a success.
"We will do it again but we won't tell you when."
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