Supposed date arranged on Facebook ends in robbery; San Mateo woman arrested
SAN MATEO — A supposed date arranged on Facebook ended up being a robbery, authorities say.
San Mateo police say, on Oct. 17, a man filed a report where he claimed he was kidnapped and robbed by a woman he had met online.
The man claimed he had been chatting with the woman for a few days, later identified as 31-year-old San Mateo resident Luciana Romano, and arranged a date.
They met up on Hillsdale Boulevard and started talking in his car. That's when Romano allegedly made a threat on his life. Romano allegedly demanded to be driven to a gas station in San Carlos and allegedly forced the man to take out some cash from an ATM.
After being driven to a San Carlos motel for a short stop, Romano told him to drive back to San Mateo where she eventually left the car.
With the help of a Facebook photo, police positively identified her as the suspect and arrested her the next day after she left her apartment.
Romano is now facing charges of kidnapping and robbery.