YORKTOWN — Police are investigating two unrelated crimes that occurred Thursday in Yorktown, including a computer scam that cost a victim over $20,000 and a home burglary interrupted by the homeowner.
In the first incident, a victim received a pop-up alert claiming child pornography had been detected on their computer, according to the Yorktown Police Department.
The victim called a phone number on the pop-up and spoke with someone claiming to be a Federal Communications Commission representative.
The scammer falsely told the victim that child pornography was on the computer and that removal would cost more than $20,000 cash.
Police said the victim was instructed to withdraw cash from their bank and to tell bank employees, if asked, that the funds were for a home improvement project.
After withdrawing the money, the victim contacted the scammer, and a person described as an Asian male arrived at the residence to collect the funds between 3 and 3:45 p.m. near Ravencrest Road.
The suspect left on foot with no visible vehicle nearby.
In a separate incident, three masked suspects forcibly entered a residence on Briar Hill Street between 7 and 7:30 p.m.
One suspect, described as a white male who spoke with an accent, remained at the front door while two others entered through the rear of the unoccupied home.
The burglary was interrupted when the homeowner arrived, causing all suspects to flee.
Police have identified a suspect vehicle as a dark-colored Nissan Pathfinder with Mississippi license plates.
Authorities are asking residents in both areas to review home security footage and contact the Yorktown Police Detective Bureau at 914-962-4141 or email info@yorktownpd.org with any information.
