The victim of a scam is offering a privately funded reward for information leading to the arrests of two con men and their getaway driver.
Walter Hosch of Winder was shopping at Walmart on Aug. 23 when one of two men asked about his religious beliefs, he told police.
The suspects told Hosch they were raising money for needy children and convinced him to make a donation, Winder police Capt. Chris Cooper said in an emailed statement.
Hosch went to the bank and withdrew $15,000 that he said he had set aside for his wife in case of his death, he told Channel 2 Action News.
He planned to contribute his portion of a greater donation to a children’s charity.
They decided to pray over it, but Hosch assumed he would give them his portion when they came up with theirs.
Instead, the con men swapped out Hosch’s envelope of cash with an envelope of newspaper. Hosch discovered the scam when he returned home.
What bothered him most was that the con men used his Christian faith against him, Hosch told Channel 2.
“They used God’s name, Jesus’ name, and tricked me,” he said.
The $3,000 reward he is offering is divided into three $1,000 rewards, one for each suspect.
The first person to contact Winder police with the suspects’ names will earn either the $1,000 for one name or $3,000 for all three, Hosch said in a statement emailed by Winder police.
The third suspect was later identified by police after he was seen on surveillance video outside a CVS driving a newer model Kia Optima sedan. He picked up the two men who conned Hosch.
It is believed that the suspects are not from this area and may be performing this or similar scams in surrounding areas.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Schiltz at 678-425-6889 or by email at james.schiltz@cityofwinder.com.
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