Staff report
Spencer, Ind. – June 25, 2023
The Owen County Sheriff’s Office intervened in a scam incident on June 21, 2023, after receiving a report from a concerned citizen, according to a Facebook post by the OCSO.
Sgt. Michael Browning, of the OCSO, was alerted to a male subject who had contacted an elderly woman, falsely claiming that her grandson was in jail and in need of money for bail.
The woman, believing the caller’s story, gathered a significant amount of money and awaited the arrival of the supposed grandson’s representative. However, as she waited, the woman grew suspicious and realized that her grandson was not incarcerated. Recognizing the possibility of a scam, she contacted Sgt. Browning to report the situation.
Sgt. Browning positioned himself to observe the money exchange between the woman and the male subject. Once the transaction took place, he approached the male suspect, who refused to identify himself and resisted arrest. Nevertheless, Sgt. Browning managed to apprehend the suspect, who was subsequently taken into custody and handed over to the Owen County Jail.
“Scams like these are very hard to combat because in most cases the victim does not know they are being scammed until it is too late. The quick actions by the victim and Sgt. Browning resulted in the arrest of a terrible crime that is becoming all too common. Please remember to use caution and question everything when someone is requesting money from you on the telephone. In today’s world, many people are trying to take advantage of others’ emotions and kindness. We all must be better stewards of ensuring that the source we are giving money to is a legitimate one, with good intentions. The Owen County Sheriff’s Office is proud of Sgt. Browning and his diligence in serving our community,” wrote the OCSO in a Facebook post.
