Man caught trying to ‘buy’ minor from mother – Port Orange Police

A man was caught trying to ‘buy’ a minor from her mother at a grocery store in Port Orange, according to Police.

The incident occurred on August 16, when 85-year-old suspect Hellmuth Kolb approached a mother at the Port Orange Winn-Dixie grocery store and offered to buy her little girl for $100,000.

According to the mother’s report, Kolb approached her and began commenting on her child’s appearance before asking her age. As she was leaving the store, Kolb then shouted in order to convince her to stop and “make a deal.”

Port Orange Police Department began their investigation after the incident was reported and Kolb was arrested on Thursday. He’s currently at the Volusia County Jail.

Kolb is a registered sex offender and according to authorities is on probation for “similar” offenses. He is barred from coming into contact with minors, and also faced charges of battery and false imprisonment in 2019

In 2018, Kolb had offered a woman at the Port Orange Walmart $200,000 for her 8-year-old daughter. After the offer, he began to grope the little girl’s arms and legs and then kissed her wrist as her mother tried to move her away from Kolb.

Since then, Kolb cannot enter grocery stores or malls without an accompanying family member. He has been restricted from coming into contact with any children.

Police are urging those who have had similar encounters with Kolb to contact Detective Nugent at 386-506-5894 or knugent@port-orange.org.