Police: Man stole $3.5K from elderly hospitalized neighbour

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – A resident of a Massachusetts elderly housing complex has been charged with stealing more than $3,500 from a neighbour who was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack.

The Sun Chronicle (http://bit.ly/2sVDcb9 ) reports that 61-year-old Norman Phinney, of Attleboro, was held on $3,500 bail at his arraignment Tuesday after pleading not guilty to charges including larceny.

Police say when his 70-year-old neighbour suffered a heart attack in a common area in December her door was left open.

Authorities say Phinney went in and took her key, which he used to enter the apartment almost daily, and used her ATM card to withdraw money from her bank account. The woman’s son eventually noticed the unauthorized withdrawals.

Phinney told police he had permission to withdraw money to feed the woman’s dog.

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Information from: The (Attleboro, Mass.) Sun Chronicle, http://www.thesunchronicle.com