Police: Woodside man charged in ‘quick-change offense’

BETHLEHEM — A Woodside, Queens, man has been charged in a “quick-change offense,” according to a statement from the Bethlehem Police Department.

Police had been investigating multiple reports of these types of incidents at local stores for several months before making an arrest.

“Quick-change offenses are one of the oldest types of financial cons and swindles,” according to the police statement. “In these incidents, a subject approaches a store clerk and hands them several bills, usually high denominations of currency, and asks for change into smaller denominations of currency.”

The statement continued, “When the clerk returns the smaller bills to them, the suspect then palms (conceals) some of the money, and asks to negate the exchange, or for another series of a different denomination. Each time an exchange is made, the suspect conceals some of the money before leaving the store.”

According to police, there have been similar incidents at stores in both Delmar and Glenmont in recent months.

As a result of the investigation, two men have been identified by Bethlehem police on store video.

“As a result of these investigations, Bethlehem Police were able to identify Traian Sava, 28, of Woodside, New York, as being involved in several incidents in Delmar in September,” according to police. “On Nov. 13, 2018, Sava was arrested in Central Islip, New York, by Long Island Fugitive Operations from the Department of Homeland Security. “

Police say Sava is a suspect in numerous other incidents in the Capital Region, Massachusetts and other parts of New York state.

He was arrested following a joint effort by Bethlehem Police, New York State Police, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Northumbria Police in the United Kingdom, where he is a suspect in similar incidents.

Sava was charged with one felony count of first-degree scheme to defraud and one misdemeanor count of petty larceny.

He was arraigned in the Town of Bethlehem Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Sava is scheduled to return to court in Bethlehem on Dec. 4.

Bethlehem Police offer advice to prevent these types of scams in stores:

• Establish internal policies on making currency exchanges without purchases;

• Double count money after each exchange;

• Do not allow for second currency exchanges without purchases;

• Ask for identification in order to make an exchange without a purchase;

• Instruct the person asking for the exchange to count the money in front of the clerk; and,

• Be aware that these types of frauds occur – knowledge of the offense is important.

Police are trying to identify the two people in the store photos (pictured). If you have any information, please call Bethlehem Police at 518-439-9973. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Capital Region Crime Stoppers at www.capitalregioncrimestoppers.com.