An Auburn man is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from his grandmother and trying to escape police custody.
Adam Birtwell was arrested March 19 following a fraud complaint at a residence on North Hoopes Avenue. Auburn police said their investigation revealed Birtwell had been transferring money from his grandmother’s bank account into his own CashApp account without her knowledge or permission since November.
According to police, the unauthorized transfers totaled approximately $3,111.71. On March 19, Birtwell allegedly attempted to move an additional $4,192.30, but the transaction was blocked after the victim received a text alert and intervened. The victim then went to her bank, where the ongoing theft was uncovered.
While in custody at the Auburn Police Department, Birtwell managed to slip his handcuff and attempted to escape the building but was stopped by officers before he could flee.
He was charged with third-degree grand larceny and first-degree identity theft, both class D felonies. He also faces class E felony charges of attempted grand larceny and attempted identity theft. Additionally, Birtwell was charged with unlawful possession of personal identification information and third-degree escape, both misdemeanors.
Birtwell was processed and transported to the Cayuga County Jail, where he was held pending arraignment.
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