Cops: Woman posed as prostitute to rob men at Toll Road travel plaza

(GARY, Ind.) A northwest Indiana woman has been charged with posing as a prostitute in order to rob men at a travel plaza along the Indiana Toll Road.

Tamara R. Scott

Tamara R. Scott of Gary is charged with two felony counts of forgery, three counts of fraud, two counts of theft and two counts of receiving stolen property, according to Indiana State Police.She was arrested after being linked to nearly 20 robberies at the George Ade Rest Plazas on the Indiana Toll Road in Portage, Ind., according to ISP.

Scott posed as a prostitute at the rest stop, then stole the wallets and cell phones of her “customers,” a statement from ISP said. Sometimes a man would accompany her during the robberies, brandishing a firearm and stealing items.

Scott was implicated after using the stolen credit card of one of her victims in Lake Station, Ind., and later arrested at the Majestic Star Casino Hotel in Gary, police said.

Anthony Washington

During the arrest, a man leaped from the second-story window of the hotel and ran away, police said. That man, later identified as Anthony Washington of Gary, was arrested when police linked items found in the hotel to him, and then went to his home in the 200 block of Fillmore Street to serve a warrant.As officers approached the home, Washington was spotted walking out of his house, police said. He was charged with resisting arrest and cocaine possession, and is being held without bond at the Lake County Jail. Additional charges are expected.

Court information for Scott was not immediately available.