VILLAGE OF LIBERTY – A 43-year-old Indian national has been arrested on a felony charge of grand larceny for allegedly stealing $36,000 from a 76-year-old Liberty woman under the guise that her computer had a virus and he worked for an anti-virus company and would help her.
The victim withdrew the money from the bank and gave it to the man, who ostensibly was going to deposit it into another safer bank account.
The woman became suspicious, tipped off the police and recognized it as part of an ongoing scam targeting the elderly.
Police investigated and within two hours identified and located the suspect, identified as Himachal Sager, in a motel in Binghamton. He was detained by the Broome County Sheriff’s Office and State Police and detained until Liberty Police arrived.
He was arrested and the full $36,000 was recovered.
Sagar was arraigned and consistent with state bail reform laws, he was released on his own recognizance pending a future court date and was ordered to surrender his passport to the court.
Any individuals who believe they may have been the victim of a similar scam are asked to call Liberty Village Police at 845-292-4422.
Liberty Police Chief Steven D’Agata said swift investigation by Broome County law enforcement and his own detectives resulted in Sagar’s arrest and the recovery of the money because it is often the case in international scams that arrests and recovery of the proceeds is impossible.
