Police: Con man faked blindness to steal $9,000 ring

PITTSBURGH — A suspected con man who allegedly uses fake cashier's checks to buy vehicles, electronics and jewelry has been charged with stealing a $9,000 diamond ring from a Pittsburgh jewelry store the same way -- while also pretending to be blind.

According to Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE, the suspect, 47-year-old Taurus Centaur, of McHenry, Maryland, has been jailed in Georgia, one of seven states where a Pennsylvania state police alert say he's suspected of crimes.

Investigators said Centaur used the name Joseph Carroll when he called Goldstock Diamonds in February and claimed to be a blind man who needed help from an expert jeweler to buy an engagement ring.

"Clever.  Does he have any acting experience?" said shopper Bob Redzevich. 

"I think that's terrible," said shopper Dorothy Redzevich.

Centaur arrived at the store the next day wearing fancy clothes, and a blind man's cane and sunglasses and paid with a cashier's check that later turned out to be fake.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WPXI