The following accounts were provided by Investigator Mark Silverio of Binghamton’s New York State University Police Department.
Not a fan
THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 12:00 p.m. — Officers responded to the Off Campus Community Transportation (OCCT) office after receiving a call from a 28-year-old male, who reported a 19-year-old female suspect was tearing down paid Birthright International advertisements from the bus partition. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the director of OCCT, who confirmed that the suspect has torn down the advertisements on several occasions. Based on video footage and student ID scans on the buses, the OCCT office had already identified the suspect. OCCT turned over all video footage to the officers and chose to press charges against the suspect. The video sent to UPD confirmed the same suspect tore the Birthright International advertisements down on several occasions. Officers made contact with the suspect on the morning of Oct. 21 and brought her into the UPD office, where she was issued an appearance ticket for Vestal Town Court.
Take the advice
SATURDAY, Oct. 19, 11:30 a.m. — Officers responded to a fraud complaint made by a 38-year-old Binghamton University faculty member. On Oct. 17, the victim received an email from someone he believed to be the chair of his department requesting him to purchase five $100 iTunes gift cards. The suspect wrote that the cards were a birthday gift for his best friend’s son, and that the professor would be reimbursed. The professor agreed, went to a nearby Target and purchased $500 worth of gift cards. The Target clerk warned the professor he was probably being scammed if someone was asking for gift cards. He ignored the advice, purchased the gift cards and sent them electronically to the suspect. Later that day, he received another email asking for 10 $100 iTunes gift cards for the same reason. He went back to Target and purchased more gift cards, now costing $1,000, despite being told again that he was probably being scammed. He again sent them electronically to the suspect. On Saturday, he was sent another email asking for another 10 iTunes gift cards, at which point he realized he was being scammed. He reported the incident to Binghamton’s FBI office and came in to UPD to file a complaint. The scam emails were sent from a Gmail account, and Apple declined to release information about how the cards were used. The case remains under investigation.
Urination amnesia
SUNDAY, Oct. 20, 2:47 a.m. — Officers responded to the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center (C4) after receiving a call from a 52-year-old Sodexo employee that a 17-year-old male suspect was observed urinating in the dining area. Staff approached the suspect and asked him for an ID, but he said he did not have any on him. The suspect then took off running through C4 toward Dickinson Community. Officers got a description of the young man and reviewed camera footage from the area. They were able to identify the suspect, who ran to Seneca Hall of College-in-the-Woods. The following day, officers made contact with the suspect. When asked about the incident, the suspect said he did not remember the event because he was highly intoxicated the previous night. Officers informed him that he had urinated in the C4 dining area, and it was observed by dining hall employees and seen on camera. The suspect was cooperative and apologized for his behavior. He was issued an appearance ticket for Vestal Town Court.
Alone in the library
SUNDAY, Oct. 20, 7:53 a.m. — Officers responded to Glenn G. Bartle Library after receiving a report of an 18-year-old male and an 18-year-old female in the library while it was closed. They located the male and female near the printing area. Officers spoke with the two, who claimed they thought the library was open 24/7. When officers asked them if they noticed any indications of the building being closed, such as the lights being off and no staff being present, they responded they had not. They showed the officers the door they came in, which was locked but had not been secured properly. They were given a warning and escorted out of the library.