Man Claiming to Be Missionary Scams Absecon NJ Woman Out of $5,000
Law enforcement is searching for a man accused of stealing $5,000 from an elderly woman in Absecon, New Jersey.
The victim is a senior citizen who lives in Absecon. According to authorities, the suspect conned the victim into handing over the large amount of cash in the parking lot of an Absecon NJ ShopRite grocery store. The suspect allegedly told the victim that he was an African missionary who needed the money so that he could give it away to charitable causes.
The suspect reportedly said that he needed a total of $35,000 in order to complete his mission. After the victim gave the suspect $5,000 in cash, the suspect allegedly told her that he required another $3,000 from her. The woman then went to a local bank, made a withdrawal, and returned to the parking lot with the intention of handing over the extra cash. However, the suspect was gone by the time she returned.
The suspect has been described as a male in his 40s. He was clean shaven, spoke with a heavy foreign accent, and wore various religious items when he approached the victim in the ShopRite parking lot.
The Absecon Police Department is actively investigating the theft incident and attempting to determine the identity of the suspect. At this time, investigators are not releasing much information about the crime or the suspect. It is believed that another person may have helped the suspect to commit the theft.
Although it may seem unlikely that anyone would fall for a financial scam, the reality is that this sort of thing happens all the time because the people who try to pull off these con jobs can be very persuasive. That’s why it is important for people to always be on guard and do some research before willingly handing over large amounts of money.
To learn more, view the NJ.com article, “Man Claiming to Be Missionary Scams Woman Out of $5K, Cops Say.”
If you have been charged with theft by deception, theft of movable property, or any other theft crime in Atlantic County, NJ, you need to speak with a qualified criminal defense lawyer immediately. The experienced, aggressive Atlantic County criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of John W. Tumelty will help you fight your criminal charges and avoid the most severe penalties. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation about your case.
