Career Criminal May Be On Robbery Spree
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Armando Rodriguez is a career criminal with more charges than you can count on two hands; and it appears Rodriguez may still be at it.
Surveillance video has surfaced in North Miami Beach from two weeks ago with a man resembling Rodriguez. The video was taken just before noon inside a ballet school on 159th Street.
You see a man come in and grab brochures. According to detectives, he's really casing his next victim.
A few minutes later detectives said Rodriguez returns, with a disguise on, and sits on a bench outside the school next to woman. A camera outside captures the man pulling a gun out, grabbing the woman by the neck and yanking her wedding rings off before taking off.
The ballet school didn't want to talk about what happened as they are a bit shaken up by this since it happened just feet from their door. They now lock their door at all times of the day.
Investigators across South Florida are tying robberies to Rodriguez; including a home invasion on Miami Beach in February.
Surveillance cameras captured the whole thing there as well. Diego Chaar said he was sleeping when he woke up to see Rodriguez inside his home.
"Crowbar to the forehead; pistol in my mouth; get down," Chaar said when describing what happened next.
He handed over his safe after getting a beating. Chaar said he has moved out and now carries a gun. "Safety, safety, safety. It ain't going to happen to me again; I can tell you that much." Chaar said.
Then there is the broad daylight mugging of a woman in Coral Gables. It happened in March across from the Bank of America on Madruga Court. Detectives have identified Rodriguez, a man who goes by the nickname "Rampage", as their main suspect.
Documents uncovered by CBS4 raised questions of why he isn't in prison.
In March of 2001 Miami Beach Police arrested Rodriguez for allegedly shooting at someone. Detectives discovered it was all over drugs.
For some reason though in 2006, the case was dismissed and charges were dropped. No one, not even the State Attorney's office, can explain why.
Meanwhile, if police departments across South Florida have the right man, Rodriguez is living up to his nickname. The manhunt for Rodriguez is now getting even bigger as the reward has gone up to $5,000.
If you have any information on Rodriguez you can call Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
