Elderly traveler scammed and robbed at I-475 rest stop in Macon

An elderly Tennessee man was robbed Friday morning after falling for a scam at an interstate rest stop.

John Thigpen, of Newport, was stopped at the rest area on Interstate 475 in Bibb County when a man came up to him just before 8:40 a.m., according to a news release from the Bibb County Sheriff's Office.

The man told Thigpen that another person in the parking lot had just won the lottery and was "doubling other people's money," the release stated.

Thigpen removed a bag of cash from the safe in his camper and joined other men gathered in the parking lot.

Two men grabbed him while a third man took his money and ran away.

One of the suspects is described as a white man wearing a brown jacket and a ski mask over his face.

A description of the other men was not immediately available.

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call for an investigator at 478-751-7500, or phone anonymous tips to Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 877-68-CRIME.

Liz Fabian: 478-744-4303; @liz_lines

This story was originally published January 5, 2018 at 12:38 PM with the headline "Elderly traveler scammed and robbed at I-475 rest stop in Macon."