Advertisement Man falsely claims to be Cambridge fire victim, takes $725 worth of gift cards 46-year-old has history of aliases, police say Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A 46-year-old man was arrested after claiming to be a victim of the Dec. 3 Cambridge fire and taking $725 worth of gift cards, according to police. Wicked Local reports Vincent Lee Bryant of Washington state was arrested on Massachusetts Avenue on Dec. 6 on a charge of larceny over $250 by false pretense after fraudulently filing for fire relief funds through the city of Cambridge, according to police. He was reportedly given $300 worth of gift cards to Star Market and $300 worth of gift cards to Target. He was also given a $125 debit card issued by the Red Cross. A witness told police that Bryant came into City Hall on Dec. 6 and filled out forms for housing assistance, claiming to be a victim of the recent fire in Cambridge that had left over 150 individuals displaced. She said she became suspicious of Bryant when she saw he had used an address on his application that had already been filed by another resident. When she confronted him, he allegedly gave conflicting statements, so she called police. After giving responding officers multiple addresses and Social Security numbers that came up with no information in the system, Bryant told officers all his identification was "torched in the fire," according to the report. Upon further investigation, the address he gave on York Street was, in fact, not torched and was habitable at the time. When officers called a number Bryant said was his landlord's, a woman answered, allegedly confirming she was Bryant's landlord on York Street. Police believe this unidentified woman was lying for Bryant. Bryant has a history of aliases, according to police.