LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) — A Georgia man was arrested Thursday after attempting to use a stolen identity to purchase nearly $300,000 worth of gold from a Lincoln coin shop earlier this year.
According to court documents, 70-year-old Bobby Hammett entered Lincoln Coin & Bullion on March 3, posing as a man named Steven Mills. He attempted to buy 96 ounces of gold, valued at $285,148.73, using a forged Truist Bank check.
Hammett presented a Georgia driver’s license with his own photo but Mills’ name and address, which matched the information on the check. Suspicious of the transaction, the store’s owner held the gold and scheduled a follow-up appointment for March 5.
On March 4, Truist Bank contacted the real Steven Mills, who confirmed he had not written the check. Later that day, Hammett reportedly called the store asking about the delay in cashing the check, and staff saw his real name — Bobby Hammett — appear on their caller ID.
Hammett did not show up for the March 5 appointment. Lincoln Police traced the phone number used to call the shop and linked it to Hammett. Investigators confirmed his identity through social media searches and his driver’s license.
An arrest warrant was issued on May 21 and executed Thursday.
Hammett is now charged with second-degree forgery and identity theft. He is being held on an $85,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on October 28.
