On Wednesday morning, January 26th, the Hastings Police Department received a crime alert from Savage PD regarding subjects who may be in Hastings running a “Grandparent Scam” involving scammers calling an elderly person pretending to be a grandchild who is in serious legal trouble and in need of cash for bail. On Wednesday afternoon, Hastings PD responded to a report where a Hastings resident was scammed out of $18,000 in cash using this method. The suspects convinced the elderly victim to send an additional $25,000 cash via the UPS Store. Hastings PD intercepted the $25,000 prior to shipping and it was returned to the victim. As part of the on-going investigation, the Hastings PD, in cooperation with Eden Prairie and Woodbury Police Departments, identified a possible suspect vehicle, located it at a hotel in Eden Prairie, then obtained a search warrant. Just prior to executing the warrant, the suspect vehicle left the hotel and was ultimately stopped at the Eden Prairie Walmart and one suspect was arrested. Officers then executed a search warrant at the hotel and took an additional suspect into custody in this case. The suspects were booked into Dakota County Jail for Felony Theft by Swindle and are awaiting formal charges by the Dakota County Attorney?s Office.
