HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)-Detectives are telling residents in one neighborhood, to be alert after two different drivers are held at gunpoint and robbed.
One of the victims lives at Oak Bend Woodland Apartments, located on N 15th St. in Tampa. The second victim lives across the street at Spanish Trace Apartments.
Investigators believe the crimes are connected.
“I’m scared. I’m frightened. That would make me very, very paranoid, I mean, really,” said Chanel Compton. She was visiting Spanish Trace Apartments Friday.
According to the Hillsborough Co. Sheriff’s Office, the first kidnapping happened Wednesday morning at 4 a.m.
The victim was forced back into his vehicle by two suspects and driven to the nearest Bank Of America. The suspects forced the man to withdraw money from the ATM.
Deputies said the suspects drove him back to the apartments, where they fled on foot.
Monique Hamsom has lived there for nine months.
“This is pretty new and disturbing at this point. I don’t even feel like I have to lock my vehicle when I go up to my home and I don’t feel unsafe. So my overall thought is that I’m happy to obviously know what’s going on and I’ll have to take certain precautions to keep safe,” she said.
Thursday, just before midnight, three suspects, two armed, approached a man sitting in his car at Spanish Trace Apartments and forced him out of the driver’s seat.
They drove him to several locations where they made him purchase items and withdraw money.
Like the first kidnapping, he was driven back to his apartment and the crooks took off.
“That’s why I just stay home and just work. I just stay home and work. I’m too scared about all this stuff,” said Compton.
Residents are hopeful detectives find them.
“I really hope that they obviously catch whoever was doing these,” said Hamson.
Suspects in Wednesday’s kidnapping are described as:
1) Black male, 22-29 years of age, 5’11”, thin build, dark clothes and ski mask armed with a black handgun.
2) Black male, 5’08”, thin build, dark clothes and ski mask armed with a black handgun.
Suspects in Thursday’s kidnapping are described as:
1) Black male, 5’07”, early 20s, lighter skin, thick eyebrows, slim muscular build, short black buzz cut hair, no tattoos observed, possible mustache, black hooded sweater, dark pants, black shoes, black gloves, possibly .45 caliber black handgun, no accent
2) Black male, 5’04”-5’06”, 15-16 years of age, no tattoos/no facial hair observed, slim, skinny build, darker skin, hair cut in top fade, black hoodie, unknown pants, black gloves, “baby face,” possibly .45 caliber black handgun
3) Black male, 5’08”, 15-16 years of age, medium complexion, no facial hair, no tattoos, longer top fade haircut, black hoodie, unknown style/color sagging shorts (kept having to pick up shorts), stood outside with victim at businesses while other two suspects stayed inside the vehicle.
Anyone with any information reference these suspects is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of these suspects and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477)
