Montgomery County police brief Somerset on low local crime totals, surge in fraud and new drone response

Deputy Commander Ari Elkin of the Montgomery County Police Department’s 2nd District told Somerset officials and residents on Feb. 13 that crime in the town’s incorporated area remains low but new threats are emerging.

Elkin said, “in the last year there’s been a total of 5 reported incidents in the incorporated area,” and added that fraud and sophisticated scams are the area’s most notable problems. He told the forum that the department recorded two fraud incidents in Somerset in the past year and warned that scammers use targeted text messages and phony service notices to extract money from older residents and others.

The brief focused on prevention and reporting. Elkin urged residents to call police rather than rely on neighborhood listservs: “If you’re the victim of a crime, you should call. If it’s in progress, contact 911.” He said the department will provide community-facing scam-prevention materials and that the department’s community service officer…