'WE ALL LIKE KIDS': Sex offender arrested for trying to BUY 8-yr-old girl from her mom for $100K
PORT ORANGE, FLORIDA: A Florida sex offender was arrested for allegedly trying to “purchase” a girl, 8, for $100,000 at a grocery store, police confirmed. 85-year-old Hellmuth Kolb made the proposal to the child's mother at a Winn Dixie in Port Orange, the Port Orange Police Department said. Kolb was banned from having contact with children and was also on probation for trying to buy another child in Walmart in 2018.
The Daily Mail reported that Kolb, originally from Austria, approached the girl's mother, Lauren Benning, and made comments about the child's appearance. He then shouted at Benning and asked her to "make a deal" with him. He allegedly laughed at bystanders who protested after he made these indecent remarks. Police found Kolb on a bench outside of the store. When asked about the incident, he laughed and said, "We all like kids."
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In a Facebook post, Port Orange Police Department wrote, "On August 25, 2022, after a thorough investigation, The Port Orange Police Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) responded to Sterling Chase Drive in Port Orange. At that location, they located and arrested a registered sexual offender, Hellmuth Kolb. Mr Kolb was being investigated in reference to an incident that occurred on August 16, 2022. That incident took place at the Port Orange Winn Dixie grocery store. While at that store, on that date, Hellmuth Kolb attempted to purchase a female minor child for $100,000.00, from her parent. Due to the parent's clear concern that someone was insistent on attempting to purchase their daughter in a grocery store, we were notified."
"Unfortunately for him, we were able to confirm through his Probation Officer that Mr Kolb is currently on probation for similar issues, and he is not to have any contact with minor children. Mr Kolb should have simply stuck to just grocery shopping. Thanks to our SIU, Mr. Kolb did receive a complimentary ride in one of our air-conditioned Police cars, and a free stay at Hotel 92 (VCBJ). If you have had similar contacts with Hellmuth Kolb, please contact Detective Nugent at 386-506-5894 or knugent@port-orange.org. We would appreciate any additional information that can be provided," the department added.
"He just came up and he started making comments about how pretty she was and how good her dancing was and how he could never have children and he wanted children," Benning said. "He needs to be locked up and not allowed to be around our children."
Kolb was arrested for violating probation related to a similar incident that took place in 2018. Tracy Nigh was sitting with her daughter on a bench inside the Walmart when she was approached by Kolb, who offered to buy her. Nigh said when she got up to leave with her daughter, Kolb grabbed the little girl by her arms and legs and kissed her wrist. Nigh alerted store security and authorities later said the incident was caught on surveillance camera. Kolb was identified through his credit card transaction and social media, where a different woman narrated a similar incident.