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Good Samaritan robbed by seemingly-pregnant woman

Story by Jesse Fray

Originally published 11:22 a.m., March 7, 2008
Updated 01:32 p.m., March 7, 2008

A Topeka man was fooled and robbed while driving a woman, who claimed to be having pregnancy complications, to the hospital.

Ron Reigel, 54, said the woman ran up to him in the 600 block of SW Taylor and asked for a ride to the hospital. It happened around 9 p.m. Wednesday.

“This gal … says she's pregnant, having pains and needs to go to the hospital, would I take her?” Reigel said.

He agreed, and they headed toward the hospital, but the woman’s pains suddenly went away and she asked Reigel to take a detour.

“She says, ‘Well my car's over at 7th and Tyler, would you take me there and I'll just drive there?’” said Reigel.

She led him to a nearby alley and then pulled a fast one.

“Yanked the keys out of the ignition, said she had a gun,” Reigel said.

He said the woman demanded his money, taking the $16 in cash he had in his wallet. Then, the seemingly-pregnant woman got out of the car and ran away.

“When she said she had a gun, I was a little bit apprehensive,” Reigel said. “I didn't want to give her my money, but I wound up giving it to her so I could get my car keys back.”

Reigel wasn’t injured, but said he feels violated that a woman would use pregnancy pains as a ploy to rob him. Now, he said he’ll be reluctant to help anyone ever again.

“I was just trying to help this gal, thought she was having a problem, and it didn’t pan out,” said Reigel.

Police said the suspect was described as a white female in her 20s, 5’5”, with short brown hair, and weighing around 180 pounds. She appeared to be pregnant.

If you know anything about the woman who robbed Riegel, call police.