Lured in by a great deal on a Bobcat, contractor is robbed at gunpoint

Updated Oct 21, 2013

gunpointSo here’s a perfect example of “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” In this case, it was the promise of a $5,000 Bobcat.

According to a report from the Post-Tribune, an owner of a roofing company from Hobart, Indiana met his eventual attacker at a bar called the Tilted Kilt in nearby Merrillville. The man mentioned to the contractor that he knew someone selling a Bobcat for pretty cheap and that he would take him to see it.

And he did. The man picked the contractor up at his jobsite 10 days later and took him to see the Bobcat. The contractor told the man he’d like to mull over the purchase a bit. Later that day, he said he’d decided to purchase the machine and asked the man to come pick him up again.

As they drove down U.S. Highway 30, the man told the contractor he needed to pee. He got out of the vehicle and when he came back he was carrying a black semi-automatic handgun, the contractor told police. The man then ordered the contractor to put the $5,000 in cash he had brought, his jewelry and his cell phone on the driver’s seat and then to exit the vehicle. He then drove off with everything.

So, to recap, if you’re looking for a good deal on the machine and want to avoid being held up at gunpoint, just try an auction. And if you do decide to go the classifieds or word-of-mouth route, for goodness sake don’t let a stranger pick you up.