18-Year-Old With Criminal History Jailed As Victim Describes Attempted Carjacking
MIAMI(CBSMiami) - An 18-year-old man with a criminal history has been arrested after a terrifying ordeal for two women in North Miami Beach.
One of those victims is speaking out to CBS4's Peter D'Oench after she says a gun was held to her head during an attempted robbery and attemped carjacking.
"I feel it was really unbelievable. It was really scary. I was really scared," said Simone Okun.
The 36-year-old real estate sales associate told D'Oench she was held at gunpoint by Augustus Robert late Wednesday morning at the Intracoastal Mall in North Miami Beach beside her Range Rover.
"He tried to open the door," she said. "He tried to open it and I closed it. He tried to open and pulled back to close it. I tried to lock the door. Then he put a gun on me through the window."
"I thought he was a student because he had a backpack. It happened just as I was walking to my car," she said. "It was scary."
"I chose to fight back because he scared me and I had to act quickly," she said. "I was thinking quickly and he had a gun and said give me the money. I didn't think twice."
"But I wouldn't do it again," said Okun. "Next time, I'd give him the money. If it happens to anyone else, they should give everything away if there is a gun on them."
After the incident, Okun said she flagged down a North Miami Beach officer near the mall at Northeast 35th Ave. and 163rd St.
Police say she later identified Robert as her attacker.
After that incident, police say Robert tried to rob another woman at the mall at gunpoint but he ran away after someone walked up.
Police say that victim also identified Robert as the man who demanded that she give him money.
North Miami Beach Police Commander Tom Carney told D'Oench that, "This arrest is significant because he was going around the neighborhood victimizing people. We don't know how far he would have gone. So we are glad we stopped him."
"He was arrested at such a young age," said Carney. "We hope he'll serve some significant jail time."
"The message to others is don't resist and be aware of your surroundings as much as possible," he said.
Carney said Robert is charged with attempted carjacking, attempted armed robbery, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed weapon and burglary of an occupied conveyance.
Records show that Robert is no stranger to law enforcement. He's been arrested before for aggravated assault, armed robbery and burglary of an occupied dwelling.