UNION TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Police in a New Jersey town are warning residents of potential scammers after they picked up a woman attempting to panhandle by a busy road.
Officers from the Union Township Police found a woman walking in and out of traffic along Vauxhall Road, asking drivers for money for “baby stuff” and diapers, officials said in a Facebook post Monday.
The officers noticed the woman, who claimed to be from Romania and now living in Queens, had what they describe as a $500 purse, various jewelry, and a new iPhone X smart phone. “She did not appear to be in critical need of cash,” police said in the post.
When questioned further, the woman admitted to the police that she and several other women were “dropped off” to panhandle throughout New Jersey, authorities said.
Police said the woman was given a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic and received a court summons for soliciting without a permit.
The Union Police Department warned residents, “It’s not a good idea to donate to someone on the side of the road with a sign. If you see someone who may need help, you can call our [headquarters] and our officers will respond and assess.”
