Three people, all of them in the country illegally, are in custody after police say they abducted a woman from the parking lot of the Culpeper Walmart and forced her at gunpoint to drive to her residence in Orange County where she was robbed.
Claudia Teresa Aldana Restrepo, a 50-year-old native of Colombia; Luis Felipe Garcia Baez, a 48-year-old from Mexico; and Elisa Andrea Espitia Campos, a 47-year-old also from Colombia, were all charged with felony robbery with a firearm, felony abduction by force, felony use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and felony conspiracy to commit robbery. More charges are likely to be filed, authorities said.
None of them has a permanent U.S. address, according to the Culpeper Police Department.
It was around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday when Restrepo, Baez and Campos approached a woman at the Culpeper Walmart and asked to sit in her car to cool off, according to authorities. They pulled a gun on the woman and forced her to first drive to an ATM and then her residence in nearby Orange County, where they took cash and personal property, authorities said.
They then fled to the town of Orange, where they were spotted by witnesses.
The woman was never physically hurt and is receiving support, authorities said.
Using automated license plate-reading cameras, detectives were able to link the three suspects to a vehicle that was found by King George County sheriff’s deputies.
Restrepo, Baez and Campos were then taken into custody.
“The actions of these criminals have significantly impacted our community’s sense of safety,” Culpeper Police Chief Chris Settle said in a statement after the arrests. “Technology like Flock ALPD has become an integral part of apprehending violent criminals, and its effectiveness is amplified when paired with experienced law enforcement professionals.”
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Culpeper Police Department at (540) 829-5523 or tips@culpeperva/gov. Anonymous tips can be submitted on Culpeper Crime Solvers tip line at (540) 727-0300.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
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