Steve Lieberman

slieberm@lohud.com

Dulce Santos is accused of stealing cash

She told cops two black men, one armed, robbed her

She claimed $1,500 to $2,500 was taken

Now charged with grand larceny, filing false report

HAVERSTRAW – A woman who claimed she was robbed outside a Chase Bank actually took money and made up a story that two armed black men made off with the cash, Haverstraw police said Wednesday.

Dulce Santos, 38, a longtime general manager at the Route 9W McDonald's, told police on Oct. 21 that while walking to the Chase Bank before 8 a.m. on Route 9W, two men wearing shorts and hoodies grabbed her cash satchel with a deposit from a local business, police Chief Charles Miller said.

Detective Sgt. George Lutz said Santos was carrying $1,815 to the bank deposit slot for McDonald's operators, he said.

Miller said detectives became suspicious of her story. He said bank's surveillance video showed she was alone in her car when she claimed to have been robbed, among other inconsistencies.

"The guys brought her in for additional questioning," Miller said. "They showed her the photos and started punching holes in her story."

Lutz said the video differed from her explaination of what happened.

Santos later gave a video statement to the detectives about the incident, Miller said.

Miller said the police have not recovered the money.

Police charged with her with fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony, and third-degree falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor.

She was released on $500 bail after being arraigned by a Haverstraw justice. Her next court appearance is set for Nov. 5.