Ann Mayers, a 74-year-old woman from Hamilton, Ohio, recently robbed an AurGroup Credit Union office in Fairfield Township. Despite having no prior criminal record, she used a gun to demand money and stole only $500 before fleeing the scene. Police quickly located her at her home, where they found evidence linking her to the robbery. Mayers confessed to the crime upon arrest, stating “I know why you are here, I did it.”
What makes this case most surprising is Mayers’ motive. It turns out that she may have fallen victim to an online scam, prompting her to resort to robbery to solve her financial problems. Her family revealed that she had sent money to an unidentified person before the robbery occurred. Despite sharing her plan with family members, they did not take her intentions seriously. Mayers is currently being held in Butler County Jail in Ohio and is requesting a pro bono lawyer.
It remains unclear how Mayers fell victim to the online scammer, as police have not found concrete evidence of fraud. She had borrowed thousands of dollars from friends and family to pay off the scammer, leading to desperation that culminated in the bank robbery. Mayers’ case serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of online scams and the drastic measures some individuals may take when faced with financial distress.
