Police: Conman Poses As Officer To Scam Residents
Detroit Man Suspected In Robbing People In Several States
POSTED: Friday, June 18, 2004
UPDATED: 1:14 pm EDT June 18,
2004
Police say a man who spent his days working as a criminal was arrested at his Detroit home this week, according to Local 4 reports.
Robert Ricardo Hawkins, 47, and another person were arrested for allegedly posing as a police officer to scam residents across the country.
Hawkins (pictured, left) and his accomplice targeted two homeowners in Port Huron earlier this month, according to police.
"He would tell the elderly person if they didn't cooperate that they were going to handcuff them or take them to jail and that they needed to do a search of the residence and that's how they would get into the houses," said Det. Elaine Butts, of the Port Huron Police Department.
Once inside the homes, Hawkins would tell the victims that the items he was taking were needed as evidence, the station reported.
One of the Port Huron residents became suspicious and contacted police.
Police obtained a search warrant for Hawkins' house on Tuxedo Street in Detroit, where they allegedly found evidence to connect him with the robberies.
Hawkins was charged with two counts of impersonating a police officer and two counts of extortion.
He was being held on a $1 million bond.
The other person accused in the scams has not been identified.
Police say it's the fourth time Hawkins has been charged with felonies.
He's being investigated for similar crimes that occurred in California, Maryland, Kansas and New York, the station reported.
Police say Hawkins has been scamming people for nearly 30 years.
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