Armed Home Invader Robs "Friends" In Miramar
MIRAMAR (CBS4) –A terrifying home invasion robbery in this city has prompted a warning about trusting strangers who you may meet through on-line dating services.
Miramar Police say three people were terrorized and robbed at gunpoint by a man who had only recently moved in to their apartment complex and who had been allowed to live with a neighbor after she had met him on line through a dating service.
Police say that woman had only met the suspect on-line two weeks before she allowed him to move in with her. They say he moved to South Florida from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York and stayed with her for two weeks.
Police say she kicked him out of her apartment and two days later, last Friday, he robbed the victims.
One of them was too afraid to give us her last name, but "Lonneesha" told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that she wanted to speak out about this crime.
She said she and her two roommates knew the suspect because he had befriended them when he moved in to the apartment complex three weeks before the crime. They trusted him.
"Last Friday, he came by and asked if he could use our bathroom," said Lonneesha. "Then he said check this out. He pulled out a gun and told us all to back up in the room and then he told us to sit down on the bed and said give me all of your money and then he said God bless you and have a nice day and then he left out the house. He stole a thousand dollars and change."
Lonneesha told D'Oench, "It was scary. I have nightmares and everything like that. I was scared. I lock my doors 24-7."
Lonneesha had a warning for everyone.
"Just please, please don't let someone move in with you, like this this person, someone you meet on line," she said.
She said the suspect had lived in an apartment on the floor below her until he was asked to leave the woman's apartment last Wednesday.
Miramar Police expressed concern about this case.
"We want to warn other women out there to be cautious, to be careful, because you have a very dangerous person out there that unfortunately this woman let into her house," said Miramar Police spokeswoman Tania Rues.
Rues told D'Oench that the suspect had also contacted other women through on-line dating services.
Police released a photograph of the suspect that showed he had a series of very distinctive tattoos.
"He has a tattoo under one eye of several hearts," said Rues. "He has a tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his arm, a large number five five on his neck, a pit bull bitting dollar signs on his shoulder and neck, as well as many other tattoos."
"He's got tattoos near his eyes and heart tattoos on his face," said Lonneesha. "So if you see him, you'll know him."
If you know anything about this suspect, call Miramar Police or Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493---TIPS (8477).
You will remain anonymous and you can be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
