Alleged Romanian Scammer Arrested For Theft By Deception In Swiftwater 

On Tuesday, the Pocono Township Police Department arrested a Romanian man accused of theft by deception charges in Swiftwater.

SWIFTWATER | On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at approx. 2:12 PM, Pocono Township Police Department responded to reports of a male suspect trying to sell fake jewelry at Sheetz in Swiftwater, PA. Officers arrived to discover that Romanian national Marius Alesandru allegedly approached multiple patrons, claiming to have run out of gas and desperately in need of cash. Alesandru then offered high-end designer jewelry, which he represented as authentic, for too-good-to-be-true prices. Upon professional inspection, the jewelry was discovered to be counterfeit. 

One victim accounts that Alesandru sold him gold jewelry, which he claimed was authentic and worth $6,000. However, it was fake. Alesandru was found with $4,310 in US currency inside his vehicle and more counterfeit jewelry. Alesandru was taken into custody and transported to Monroe County Correctional Facility and is accused of theft by deception. Bail for Alesandru has been set at $10,000. 

This article follows PSP Issues Warning About Romanian Crime Ring.

What is 18 3922 A1 Theft By Deception (M1)?

According to Pennsylvania’s Grand Assembly, 18 3922 A1 Theft By Deception (M1) is defined as:

A person is guilty of theft if he intentionally obtains or withholds property of another by deception. A person deceives if he intentionally:

(1) creates or reinforces a false impression, including false impressions as to law, value, intention or other state of mind; but deception as to a person’s intention to perform a promise shall not be inferred from the fact alone that he did not subsequently perform the promise;

(2) prevents another from acquiring information which would affect his judgment of a transaction; or

(3) fails to correct a false impression which the deceiver previously created or reinforced, or which the deceiver knows to be influencing another to whom he stands in a fiduciary or confidential relationship.

(b) Exception.–The term “deceive” does not, however, include falsity as to matters having no pecuniary significance, or puffing by statements unlikely to deceive ordinary persons in the group addressed.

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®