Imposter Firefighter Collects Donations At Bar
ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - The search is on for a man who pretended to be an Arvada firefighter.
Police say the man recently asked for donations for charity and stole money from innocent victims.
The suspect told patrons at the Rambling Rose bar in Wheat Ridge that he was collecting money for the Association of Firefighters and Paramedics. The AFP is actually a legitimate charity based out of California with no ties to Arvada.
"It's really sad someone does that," said bar patron Carol Archer.
Arvada Fire Department spokesman Scott Pribble said it's highly unlikely the person was a firefighter.
"The only time we ever go into bars and restaurants is during Labor Day weekend when we're out there for the (Muscular Dystrophy Association), but other than that we don't ever go in," Pribble said.
Marty Majors, the owner of the Rambling Rose, said the scam preys on people's love of firefighters and the holiday spirit of giving.
"People here are working people and they need their money, and that would be terrible that somebody would take money from people who need it for a scam like that," Majors said.
Bar patron Carl Morgan said he would like to see the suspect caught and punished.
"I'd prosecute the heck out of him, to be honest," he said.
There is no description of the suspect at this point. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Arvada Fire Department.
