MANSFIELD (UPDATED 4:45 p.m.) — Authorities are sorting through a wild Thursday that began with allegations of kidnapping and robbery and appear to be at an end with no charges filed.
It all began when a woman said she was kidnapped Thursday afternoon, taken to Richland Bank on Trimble Road and told to withdraw funds from her account, according to Maj. Joe Masi.
“We were notified that she was being kidnapped and brought in here against her will in order to come in here to withdraw some funds,” Maj. Joe Masi said. “He (the suspect) was standing by in the parking lot in the white truck.”
Authorities were told the woman was to get a cash advance on her Wells Fargo card, which did not happen. The suspect, who was waiting inside a white Ford F-150 with Georgia license plates, was put into custody upon deputies’ arrival, Masi said.
The victim told a bank teller the story, who subsequently called 911.
Richland Bank President John Brown responded to the scene as well.
“Everyone here at the bank is safe and there was no robbery or incident,” Brown said.
The bank remained open to the public.
But after an interview with authorities, Masi said the woman who made the claims misinterpreted the man’s instructions. The man turned out to be her boyfriend.
“We can’t verify that it was an accurate story,” Masi said.
After further questioning, Masi said the boyfriend put pressure on her to get cash to purchase drugs.
“How she interprets that is on her, but she wasn’t kidnapped,” Masi said. “We’re concerned there might be mental health issues.”
No money was taken as a result of the incident, authorities said.
The woman was taken to a motel in the city with her property, Masi said. The man said she’s done something similar two other times. He was issued a citation for driving under suspension and taken to his home on Bowman Street.
