Police: Greensburg Man Who Found Woman's Missing Savings Bonds Demands Hefty Reward
JEANNETTE, Pa. (KDKA) - A Greensburg contractor is facing extortion and theft charges after police say he demanded a woman pay a hefty reward for savings bonds she was missing.
North Huntingdon Police say the victim's cooperation helped lead to the arrest of Craig Gordon in a case of greed disguised as goodwill.
The victim says she discovered her's and her daughter's savings bonds missing from her North Huntingdon home.
"She was contacted via Facebook by a person who identified himself as Craig Gordon saying he'd found these savings bonds and that he was looking to return them," said North Huntingdon Detective Mark Hamilton.
Gordon told the victim he found them in a backpack in the home he was renovating in Jeannette. The victim was overjoyed.
"Yeah, she offered him $100," said Hamilton.
Citing "tough times at home," Gordon, however, demanded $8,000. He told the victim he found them in a home he purchased so they were his. According to the law, that's not how this works.
"If I purchase a house with a checkbook in it, because I purchased the house doesn't make it my checkbook to write checks and do what I please," said Hamilton.
Investigators say Gordon even told the victim he had relatives in law enforcement and criminal justice who said he could burn them if he wanted.
So Gordon and the victim decided to meet at a Walmart in Hempfield Township. She was going to bring the money, Gordon was going to bring the savings bonds. But when Gordon got there, the victim wasn't. But somebody else was.
He was taken into custody by law enforcement with the assistance of the state police and the Westmoreland County detectives.
Gordon faces felony extortion charges and receiving stolen property. As for what Gordon told police after his arrest?
"Of course, he said he was doing the right thing, just trying to return it," said Hamilton.
Gordon is free on $25,000 bond. The victim got all of her savings bonds back but her daughter's are still missing.
Police are now trying to figure out who took them from the victim's home initially.
