On the afternoon of October 8th, the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office sent out an alert notifying of a suspected crime ring targeting fitness studios in the Northeast.
The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office is warning of an active crime ring targeting gyms and yoga studios across the Northeast. Members of the crime ring are breaking into parked, often unlocked, cars at these locations and stealing wallets and other personal items.
District Attorney Shugrue urges the public to always lock their vehicles, even at home or in familiar locations.
A spree of break-ins in both Pittsfield and Sheffield, attempts to falsify checks and pose as stolen identities, and reports of similar crimes throughout Massachusetts and the Northeast spurred this press alert.
Pittsfield & Sheffield, MA- On Wednesday, October 1st at approximately 9:27am, a Sheffield Police Department officer responded to 1399C North Main Street, Shefield for reports of thefts from motor vehicles. Three women had their purses stolen from their cars while attending a fitness class at this location. Law enforcement interviewed the victims and reviewed video surveillance from the parking lot. In the surveillance, a white SUV was seen exiting the property 7:38am. Witnesses stated that they were not familiar with that vehicle. Upon further investigation, law enforcement identified the white SUV as either a Jeep Cherokee or Compass. The license plate on the Jeep was stolen. The license plate was previously reported stolen from a car in Dalton, MA.
Also on October 1st, in Pittsfield, two women reported having their checkbooks and personal items stolen from their cars while parked in the Williams Street Shopping Plaza, Pittsfield. The plaza includes a yoga studio. (One of the Williams Street Shopping Plaza victims is identified as Jane Doe for the purpose of this release.)
On Thursday October 2nd, Shefield Police received a report from one of the victims in the 1399C North Main Street theft stating that a Berkshire Bank branch in Worcester alerted her that an individual was attempting to cash a check using her identity. One of the checks being fraudulently cashed belonged to Jane Doe. Video surveillance from the area surrounding the Berkshire Bank branch shows the white Jeep SUV.
Also on Thursday, October 2nd, at approximately 2:18pm, Pittsfield Police were dispatched to Greylock Federal Credit Union on 150 West Street for a report of woman impersonating another and attempting to cash a fraudulent check. Police arrested the perpetrator, identified as Brandi Graff (44 years old: 21 Roadcap Lane, Halifax, PA). According to bank staff, at approximately 2:15pm Graff, who was using the id of one victim in the William’s Plaza theft, allegedly attempted to cash a check made out for $4,875.00. The check belonged to Jane Doe. While law enforcement was interviewing an employee at Greylock Federal Credit Union, they learned that the Defendant previously attempted to cash fraudulent checks at bank branches located on 2 Park Street, Adams and 5 Cheshire Road, Pittsfield. The Credit Union issued a ‘Be on the lookout’ to all bank employees.
The Defendant was held on $500 cash bail which was posted on October 2nd. Graff has since defaulted and there is now a warrant for her arrest.
District Attorney Shugrue stated, “We live in a small, trusting community. In such a small county, many of us are familiar with the businesses we frequent and the places we routinely visit. Unfortunately, there are those who seek to exploit trusting communities like ours. I urge everyone to always lock their cars regardless of the location where they are parked.”
The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office participate in the New England State Police Information Network and the Regional Information Sharing System to report and be updated on regional crime trends.
