A Gastonia man said he was beaten and robbed when he walked to church Sunday. Charles Miller, 68, said two men attacked him, taking $550 and his teeth.

A sore and bruised Miller said he would have given his money to the robbers if they asked.

"I could have helped him.  I would have helped him.  He didn't have to . . . ,” Miller said.

Miller is new to the West Fifth Street community and decided to walk to church early Sunday.

On his way, he said a man walked toward him on Gray Street.

"I spoke.  He spoke,” Miller said.

Seconds later, Miller said the stranger attacked him.

"He walked up and grabbed me around like in a choke hold," Miller said.

Miller said a second man came out of nowhere and kicked him in the ribs before he passed out.

When he woke up, his rent money and money for church, a total of $550, were gone.

"I was walking on up the road here trying to get back home and I passed out again,” he said.

When Miller came to again, he noticed the plate of teeth that were drilled into place had been knocked out of his mouth and were gone.

He told Eyewitness News he's not surprised the robbers stole his money, but he can't believe they took his teeth.

"This happened a stone's throw from my house,” said neighbor Jonathan Crumbley.

Crumbley said everyone would have been asleep when this happened, but no one would have expected a robbery here on Sunday.

"I think I'm going to go invest in a gun," Crumbley said.

Miller believes they targeted him because they knew he was elderly and believed he had just recently cashed his Social Security check.

He thinks they have done this before.

"I'm not the only victim. They probably operate like that,” Miller said.

Miller is now trying to gather enough money to pay for his rent and replace his teeth.