Homestead, Hialeah men kidnapped, assaulted victims for reportedly owing money, cops say
Three South Florida men were arrested after police say they kidnapped a couple, “battered” one of the victims and then forced him to withdraw money from a bank.
Their criminal plan began to unravel at a Bank of America in Port St. Lucie late last month, according to police.
A man, with bruises around his head and eyes, walked into the bank at 1800 SW Gatlin Blvd. on Oct. 28 and asked employees to call 911.
The man told them he was kidnapped and that the woman he lived with was being held hostage.
Port St. Lucie police said their “armed and dangerous” kidnappers were Antonio Raul Diaz of Homestead and two Hialeah men — Arbely Arocha and Michel Abreu Ulloa.
By the time police arrived at the bank, Arocha and Ulloa — who are accused of forcing the victim to withdraw an undisclosed amount of money— had driven off in a 2014 silver Chevy Suburban.
The victim was taken to the hospital for his injuries, including bruised ribs, and was released later the same day.
He told police the gunmen had “kicked him, pistol-whipped him, dumped water on him and forced him to change his bloody clothes before going to the bank,” according to TCPalm.com
He also said a third kidnapper, who police later identified to be 28-year-old Diaz, was at his Southwest Lakota Avenue home.
By the time police arrived at the residence, Diaz was gone. The woman inside the home was not hurt.
Police say it wasn’t long before they found Ulloa, 32, driving the silver Chevy and stopped him. He was taken into custody, but Arocha,41, was not in the car.
After a week of being on the run, Diaz turned himself in on Nov. 4. Arocha followed two days later.
The trio’s attack was “not random,” according to police.
The victims had rented the house from Ulloa, who is the owner, police said.
The suspects told police one of the victims owed them money, TCPalm reports.
The men are facing charges relating to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and false imprisonment. Diaz and Arocha are being held at the St. Lucie County Jail in Fort Pierce on $210,000 and $300,000 bond respectively.
Ulloa is reportedly out on $62,500 bail.
