#Westport CT–On August 16, 2017, the Westport Police Department received a report from a resident of California who advised that she had contracted with a moving company out of Brooklyn, NY to move her possessions from her former residence in Westport to her new residence in California. The victim reported that her property never arrived in California and she was now unable to reach the moving company. Officers from patrol began the investigation, which was turned over to the Detective Bureau for further investigation. Investigators learned the victim made an initial payment to the “owner” of the moving company and on the date of the move, she was required to pay the balance of the contract. When the victim’s property did not arrive in California, she began trying to contact the moving company unsuccessfully. She eventually made contact and was advised that the property was being held in Brooklyn, NY and she would need to pay additional money for it to be released and delivered. It became very clear that the victim was being scammed. The victim later hired a second company to move her belongings from New York to California. Detective Marc Heinmiller tracked down the main suspect in this case, Kirk Gillums, 54, of Hollis, NY, and ultimately obtained an arrest warrant charging him with Larceny 2nd. On February 20, 2018, Gillums was extradited back to Connecticut from New York and charged with 53a-123 Larceny 2 nd . Gillums was held on $25,000 bond and was transported to Norwalk Court for arraignment the following day.

This press release is made possible by: