The problem is, Suffolk County Police say the couple had already taken the money, but never distributed it.
“It’s not money. It’s not cookies. This gentleman is teaching his daughter. Such a life of crime,” said Zasowski. “The real victim is that little girl.”
Zasowski lives in Patchogue. He says that in April, a friendly girl, about 5 or 6 years old, asked him at home if he wanted to buy some Girl Scout cookies.
As a former Boy Scout, Zasowski was more than happy to contribute.
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He gave her $20 and ordered four boxes, while a man who said he was the girl’s father continued smoking in the street.
Police now believe that the father and daughter team were running a cookie scam that spanned Ronkonkoma, Bohemia, Patchogue, Shirley to Mastic.
The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County are now urging all victims to file a police report. They’re also promising to honor all bogus orders because the homeowners were only trying to support a good cause and their favorite should be cookies.
“It breaks my heart,” said Michael Lewis.
Louise’s 9-year-old daughter is in the Girl Scouts and has gone door-to-door selling cookies with her. But scouts must be in uniform when selling and they never take cash up front.
He says his daughter was crushed to learn that someone would try to exploit the beloved Girl Scouts
“You could see the despair on his face. It was almost as if he had been taken advantage of,” Lewis said.
Whether the young girl knew whether she was defrauding the donors is not clear.
The victims are hoping that the father is caught soon and that his child is properly looked after.
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