Ft. Lauderdale Man Accused In String Of Armed Robberies Arrested
FT. LAUDERALE (CBSMiami) – A man has been arrested for an alleged string of armed robberies in Ft. Lauderdale.
Police said Jeffrey Turcotte, 19, was taken into custody after a short chase and crash that happened near Las Olas Boulevard.
According to officers, the string of armed robberies began Wednesday night on Southeast 10th Avenue in Ft. Lauderdale.
At that location, the suspect approached a female victim while she was getting out of her car and allegedly pointed a gun at the back of her head.
During the incident, the suspect told the victim to drive him to a Bank of America ATM on West Davie Boulevard.
Police said the machine would not release the $200 he wanted the victim to get because the maximum withdrawal had already been made and the suspect told the victim to take him to her house so he could rob it.
On the way, police said Turcotte saw a red sports car and ordered the victim to follow it to a parking lot on Alahambra Street.
The victim was reportedly told to park her car next to the vehicle and ordered her out of the car and told to assist the suspect with robbing the people in the sports car.
According to police, the victim did not want to cooperate and the Turcotte became frustrated with her.
While he was trying to rob the couple in the car, the woman ran away.
After she ran, Turcotte allegedly demanded the male driver's wallet while holding a gun toward him and a female passenger.
Police claim the couple was not cooperative and Turcotte ran back to the first victim's car and fled.
Police eventually saw the car and tried to pull Turcotte over, but he would not stop while traveling at a high-rate of speed and allegedly running several red lights.
Turcotte eventually crashed into a fence and an arrest report stated he got out and ran before being arrested.
Police said he did not have a driver's license.
He was charged with three counts of armed robbery with a firearm, one count of armed kidnapping, one count of grand theft auto, one count of fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer and one count of operating a vehicle without a valid driver's license.
