Romulus — Wayne County Airport Authority police arrested a man Saturday at Metro Airport who allegedly approached passengers with sad stories to get money, the airport said Tuesday in a statement.

H. Michael Borovetz has been on airport officials' radar since 2015, the statement said, "when a passenger recognized him from a previous airport encounter."

It took years for police to make the arrest.

Airport police "received a tip (the suspect) would be connecting" at Metro as he was en route from Seattle to Miami, allegedly to gamble.

The statement said Borovetz is a professional poker player "who has been convicted multiple times for fraud at several airports."

The alleged scam works like this: the man approaches fellow travelers and offers a tale of woe. They give him money and he promises to someday return it, but they never hear from him again.

Police say Borovetz's criminal history "spans 13 states." He was arraigned Monday at Romulus's 34th District Court on two counts of false pretenses with intent to defraud, a misdemeanor. He was given a bond of $100,000/10 percent, and as of Tuesday remains in the Wayne County Jail.

Borovetz is due for a pretrial hearing Aug. 28 before Judge Brian Oakley, according to court records.

Airport police ask that anyone who believes they were victimized to call Sgt. Ken Neidermeier at 734-942-5212.