ALLIANCE, Ohio (WJW) – An Alliance father says he fell for a scam after receiving a terrifying phone call Monday.
“When I answered the phone I heard a crying girl and she said, 'Daddy I am in trouble. I have been kidnapped,'” the man told us. “She said, 'they have a gun to my head they want money.'"
The man, Bill, who asked that we only use his first name, said the crying woman’s voice sounded something like his daughter. He was so upset and distraught, that he listened to the suspect and did what he was told.
“He made me stay on the phone with him the entire time and kept telling me what I needed to do,” the victim said. “He kept telling me not to call police or my daughter would be killed.”
So the concerned father, drove to the bank and withdrew $2,000. However, he also slipped the teller a note.
“I wrote a note out telling the teller my daughter has been kidnapped, the suspects are on the phone listening, so don’t let on and please call the police department,” the man said.
He left the bank and a few minutes later police surrounded his vehicle.
Police body camera video shows officers writing notes to Bill so they could communicate without letting the suspects know they were there.
The officers were soon able to make contact with the victim’s daughter, who was at work, and was OK. They also determined the suspect was calling from Mexico.
The lieutenant on scene then confronted the suspect over the phone. The suspect started threatening the officer, telling him to mind his own business and asked where he lived. After a heated exchange that lasted several minutes, police ended the call.
“Yeah I will be in Mexico next month. I will look you up,” the lieutenant told the suspect.
According to the report, officers are unable to “trace or track to the number to produce a suspect” and the case is now closed.
Alliance Police Sgt. Michael Yarian says officers are grateful they were able to intervene before the victim lost any money.
The victim tells us he is extremely thankful for the bank teller’s help, as well as the officers.