4 arrested in online dating robbery scheme

COVINGTON, Ga. - Covington Police announced the arrests of 4 people on Friday, including a juvenile, on charges they kidnapped and robbed a man in an online dating scheme.

The arrests of the four comes days after police released images and video of the robbery at a local ATM.

Investigators charged all four with armed robbery, including the juvenile who is charged as an adult.

In addition, police charged the three other suspects, 18-year-old Nicholas Schafer of Porterdale, 18-year-old De’andre Smith of Covington, and 23-year-old Ikaria Washington of Covington with kidnapping and aggravated assault.

Investigators also charged Washington with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Police said on Monday, September 23, the victim traveled to an address to meet Washington who he met online for a date.

Once he arrived, the victim told officers several men armed with a gun came from behind him and forced him into his car.

According to police, the men forced him to go to a Wells Fargo bank in Covington and ordered him to withdraw money from an ATM.

When the victim got back in his car, he tried to take the gun. During the struggle, a shot was fired but no one was injured.

The victim ran from the bank to a convenience store where he called 911.

The men then took the victim’s car and left the area with the woman.

After police shared the image of the video with FOX 5 Atlanta and other media outlets, they received an anonymous tip online on Thursday.

The tipster gave police the first name of the suspect captured on surveillance cameras and told them his first name and where he lived in Porterdale.

According to a news release, Covington investigators learned the last name of the suspect and determined he is a juvenile.