CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - A man from Washington state was arrested on larceny charges after he allegedly posed as a victim of the massive fire in Cambridge earlier this month.
Police said they were called to Cambridge City Hall on Dec. 6. A clerk told police a man was attempting to file for funds for a fire relief fund following a massive fire in the city days earlier.
The suspect, Vincent Bryant, had written an address on his application that had already been used by another resident. When confronted about the error, he gave conflicting statements, at which time the clerk called police.
When Bryant was asked for identification, he stated that it had been lost in the fire.
When police visited the address Bryant had used on his application, police said residents told them Bryant did not live in the apartment. A property manager told police that Bryant did not live in the building affected by the fire.
“It’s deplorable. Hopefully he gets put in jail for awhile,” said neighbor Jim Voutiritsa.
Officials said Bryant had filed to receive $600 in gift cards for two different stores – Star Market and Target.
“I would say put him to work helping clean up. Have him move some of the people that are affected by this. Let him see who he’s hurting with something like that,” said Dominic Giancola, whose family lost part of their home in the fire.
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