A woman lost $2,500 after a man claiming to be raising money for a basketball team took her cellphone and used it to transfer money from her Venmo account, according to the Montclair Police Department.
The incident occurred July 2 as the woman walked to her car in the small parking lot adjacent to The Crescent Parking Deck, police said.
According to police, the man approached the woman and said he was collecting donations for his basketball team. After showing her what he described as the team’s website, the woman agreed to make a small donation through Venmo.
As she began the payment, the suspect took her cellphone from her hand and held onto it for about a minute before returning it and fleeing, police said.
The woman later discovered the suspect had used her Venmo credit account to transfer $2,500 to another account.
Police described the suspect as about 19 or 20 years old, wearing a black shirt and black shorts, with twists or dreadlocks. The incident remains under investigation.
In other incidents reported between June 30 and July 7:
Motorcycle stolen: A New Street resident reported June 30 that his black 2026 ZHI ST1 gas-powered street scooter was stolen from behind his apartment building between about 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The motorcycle had gloves attached to the handlebars and a GrubHub basket mounted on the front.
SUV rummaged through: A Hillside Avenue resident reported July 3 that someone entered her gray 2026 Porsche SUV overnight. She discovered the driver’s door ajar and papers from the glove compartment and center console scattered throughout the vehicle. The owner’s manual was the only item reported missing.
Criminal trespass arrest: Police charged a 36-year-old Montclair man with criminal trespass July 4 after officers said he repeatedly entered Just Jakes on Park Street after being denied entry.