Thursday, December 09, 2004

Police have arrested a Bowling Green man accused of taking advantage of good Samaritans.

Bowling Green Police Department officers charged Michael Ivell France, 35, of 205 Weis Court, with theft and said he is a suspect in a series of similar burglaries in the area.

According to court and police records, the Bowling Green man has a history of getting an average of $50 from helpful people by telling a story of a broken down car or car keys locked inside his vehicle. A trademark line usually involves a request for a ride to his grandmothers house to ask for money to pay a tow truck or mechanic.

Police say he will ask for change to break a larger bill for his grandmother, promising reimbursement in the future, and then disappear between houses, never to be heard from again.

I bet we had about 17 prior cases on him, said Officer Steve Chappell, who arrested France on Dec. 1 in the most recent case. Hes a scam artist.

Warren County court records show that France has been charged 19 times with theft by deception.

After pleading guilty to several theft charges in March 2001, he was ordered to pay restitution of nearly $600 to nine victims.

In exchange for his plea, he received 120 days in jail, probated for two years under certain conditions, including regular attendance at Narcotics Anonymous classes.

In the most recent case, France is accused of stealing $400 from the purse of Brownsville resident Peggy Cowles, 64, who was visiting her friend, Oma Wells, on Woodford Street when a man knocked on the door.

The man, who police identified as France, said his car had broken down nearby and asked to use Wells telephone to call a tow truck.

He was so polite and she let him in, recalled Cowles, adding that she immediately began feeling nervous.

This little voice kept saying, You need to get out of this house, she said. I feel like he had a weapon that day because he never took his hand out of that pocket and he never even looked at the phonebook. He just kept holding the phone.

Cowles quickly thought of an excuse to go to her car and Wells followed her, wondering why Cowles was leaving the house. Cowles recalled that the man acted especially suspicious when she stood to leave the house.

He said, Maam, maam, would you come back? Chills went all up my back. I was so worried he was going to shoot me in the back, she said.

Not wanting to draw attention, Cowles had casually left her purse unattended on the table near the man, despite the fact that the purse contained $400 money she was going to use to pay her bills.

While both women were outside, the man allegedly took the cash and then asked for a ride to his grandmothers house. Wells said Cowles husband would be there shortly and would drive the man to his grandmothers house.

At that point, the man left, never to be heard from again.

I hate that I lost my money but Im so glad I went, Cowles said.

Other local residents have had similar experiences recently.

Daniel Tierney, 21, of Creason Street, was watching television in his apartment with friends on Nov. 29 when he heard a knock at the door.

He said a man was standing there who claimed to have locked his keys in his car. The man asked Tierney for a ride to his grandmothers house to get money to pay a locksmith, and Tierney agreed.

I honestly dont know why I did that because I usually dont, but I guess I was just feeling charitable that evening, he said.

During the ride to his grandmothers house, the man asked Tierney to give him $50 to make change for a $100 bill he would get from his grandmother and Tierney complied.

He said his grandmother was really old and bedridden and sick, Tierney recalled, adding that he waited for about 20 minutes for the man to knock on the front door and he thought the back door of his grandmothers house on State Street.

Twenty minutes later, he didnt come back and I went up and knocked on the front door and finally, a woman came to the door and said, I dont live here and I dont have any grandchildren. Thats when I knew, Tierney said.

It definitely discourages you from helping people. The main thing now is Ill give to organizations, but I wont ever give to individuals again.

Chappell described France as a real clean-cut guy, a look that probably makes him seem less intimidating.

People want to help people out especially this time of the year, I think, Chappell said. Then he just takes their kindness and takes them for whatever he can.

France remains in Warren County Regional Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bond.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700