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String of 'hitchhiker' robberies worry Rock Hill police

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Police believe a man may be taking advantage of strangers, by asking people for a ride, then robbing them.  A Clover man told police he gave a ride to a man Tuesday night who then forced him to withdraw cash from an ATM.

The 23-year-old victim told police he picked up a man who needed a ride from a strip mall on Cherry Road. The man asked him drive to a Bank of America branch, then told him he was armed and he'd get hurt if he didn't withdraw cash. The man gave the robber $140 and dropped him off at a gas station nearby.

The victim drove to the police department and reported the incident.

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Police are investigating at least five similar cases in the past few months, that they said could be the same suspect. Rock Hill PD Capt. Mark Bollinger said the man is looking for easy targets.

"Either he can read their mannerisms, and tell that they're kind-hearted souls or whatever, and then he asks them to go to an ATM," he said.

So far, the victims are men and women, young and older. Though some cases are suspicious, police are warning people to be cautious.

"He just played on this kid's heart strings,” Bollinger said. “The young man thought he was helping somebody."

Detectives are looking through the security camera video from the ATM, but they believe if the suspect has done this before, he knows how not to be seen on an ATM camera.

The description from the alleged robbery Tuesday night is vague:  A man of average height and build wearing a white polo-type shirt and tan shorts.

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No arrests have been made at this point.