11-11-2010, 12:07 PM
BOSTON ââ¬â If a box looks like it contains a laptop computer and weighs as much as a laptop computer, does it contain one?
A 38-year-old woman thought it did. She handed $100 to a man, and he gave her the box. She opened it when she got home, and inside found a brick, held in place by newspapers.
The woman was one of at least three people to whom Dwayne Nelson, 38, who said he was homeless, tried selling a brick in a box, police said. Two others didnââ¬â¢t fall for it.
A surveillance video shows Nelson handing the woman a box that supposedly contained a computer in exchange for what later turned out to be $100.
The box appeared to contain a netbook laptop and seemed to be factory sealed, police said.
Nelson shows up again on surveillance video at the same supermarket April 10 and looks like he is trying to sell another woman a box containing what he said was a computer, police said. The woman wasnââ¬â¢t buying.
The store security staff called police, and officers found Nelson at Granite Street and Burgin Parkway.
He was carrying a bag from Best Buy. Inside, there was what seemed to be a computer box wrapped in plastic with pictures from a circular taped to it. The whole thing was wrapped in clear plastic, police said.
Inside of the box, officers found chunks of asphalt and newspapers, police said.
Nelson was arrested and charged with larceny of less than $250 and attempting to commit a crime in connection with the April 3 incident. He pleaded innocent at his arraignment in Quincy District Court and was told to return to court Nov. 23.
But police said he tried the same scam again Monday on Hancock Street in downtown Quincy and was back in court on Tuesday.
A caller told police shortly before 1 p.m. that a man wearing sunglasses and a backpack was trying to sell a laptop computer in a box for $100. Officers found Nelson close by carrying what turned out to be a brick in a box.
He was arrested on drug charges after heroin and Suboxone were found on him, police said.
Nelson was held without bail after his court arraignment Tuesday on drug-possession charges. He was to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and return to court today for a status hearing.
![[Image: g12c000000000000000bbb0a51428ed4e90b2a8e...747a53.jpg]](http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x647558316/g12c000000000000000bbb0a51428ed4e90b2a8edad06f6274083747a53.jpg)
A 38-year-old woman thought it did. She handed $100 to a man, and he gave her the box. She opened it when she got home, and inside found a brick, held in place by newspapers.
The woman was one of at least three people to whom Dwayne Nelson, 38, who said he was homeless, tried selling a brick in a box, police said. Two others didnââ¬â¢t fall for it.
A surveillance video shows Nelson handing the woman a box that supposedly contained a computer in exchange for what later turned out to be $100.
The box appeared to contain a netbook laptop and seemed to be factory sealed, police said.
Nelson shows up again on surveillance video at the same supermarket April 10 and looks like he is trying to sell another woman a box containing what he said was a computer, police said. The woman wasnââ¬â¢t buying.
The store security staff called police, and officers found Nelson at Granite Street and Burgin Parkway.
He was carrying a bag from Best Buy. Inside, there was what seemed to be a computer box wrapped in plastic with pictures from a circular taped to it. The whole thing was wrapped in clear plastic, police said.
Inside of the box, officers found chunks of asphalt and newspapers, police said.
Nelson was arrested and charged with larceny of less than $250 and attempting to commit a crime in connection with the April 3 incident. He pleaded innocent at his arraignment in Quincy District Court and was told to return to court Nov. 23.
But police said he tried the same scam again Monday on Hancock Street in downtown Quincy and was back in court on Tuesday.
A caller told police shortly before 1 p.m. that a man wearing sunglasses and a backpack was trying to sell a laptop computer in a box for $100. Officers found Nelson close by carrying what turned out to be a brick in a box.
He was arrested on drug charges after heroin and Suboxone were found on him, police said.
Nelson was held without bail after his court arraignment Tuesday on drug-possession charges. He was to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and return to court today for a status hearing.