Bitcoin Buyer Robbed of $28,000 at Knifepoint; Goes Crying to Government

Crypto Coin News reports:

32-year-old Steve Manos of Lake Worth, Florida was robbed at knifepoint as he attempted to buy $28,000 in bitcoin earlier this week.

On a late Sunday night this week, Steve Manos thought he was partaking in a routine bitcoin sale with two men he had done business with in the past. Manos was looking to buy bitcoin from the two individuals for $28,000 in cash and met with the two individuals in his car. It all went wrong after....

Manos was looking to exchange cash for bitcoin and had $28,000 in his car. The two men reportedly entered the vehicle according to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s arrest report, one of whom got into the front passenger seat beside Manos, while the other took the seat behind Manos.

Manos handed over a gift bag, which contained 28 bundles of $1,000. The other end of the exchange saw the front passenger take out a laptop in order to finish the exchange. However, the man also pulled out a knife and pressed it against Manos’ chest.

Although Manos told the men to just leave with the money without any further consequence, a struggle followed after the backseat passenger attempted to grab Manos’ gun from the driver’s door compartment, where Manos was seated.

It ended with Manos unable to keep up with...the [fleeing] robbers...

Manos, who probably believes that Bitcoin is a good method to work outside the government, after the incident, called the government in the form of local coppers:

That night, Manos provided Palm Beach Sherriff deputies a phone number that he had previously used to contact one of the two individuals during past dealings.

It turns out the robbers were not exactly rocket scientists:

That number was subsequently linked to Andre Allen of West Boynton who was picked out of a photo lineup by Manos.

The next day, Allen was arrested. He faces charges of armed robbery, burglary, and battery and is being held in a Palm Beach County Jail on a $31,000 bond.

And, by the way, never agree to meet in a car in a parking lot to exchange a large sum of cash with people you don't know well, do it in a public place with lots of people around, even inside a bank with a large lobby and an armed security guard or better yet at an NRA convention or gun show.

   -RW