Three individuals without permanent U.S. residences have been arrested following an abduction that led to a robbery.
According to law enforcement, on Aug. 27 at approximately 10:30 a.m. a female was leaving the Culpeper Walmart when three adults entered her vehicle and asked to sit for a few minutes to cool off. Once in the vehicle, the adults displayed a firearm and forced the female to drive them to an ATM and then to her residence in Orange County. At the residence, the suspects stole cash and property before forcing the victim to drive them to the Town of Orange where they fled. The victim was not physically harmed.
Culpeper Police Department Detectives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office launched a joint investigation.
During the investigation, Culpeper detectives identified a vehicle connected to the suspects. That information was entered into the Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR). On Aug. 28, the Stafford County and King George County Sheriff’s Offices received alerts that the suspect vehicle had been within their jurisdictions. King George County Deputies located the vehicle and apprehended all three individuals.
“The actions of these criminals have significantly impacted our community’s sense of safety,” Culpeper Police Department Chief Chris Settle said. “Utilizing the combination of technology and old fashioned police work, our detectives and crime analysts worked alongside our partner law enforcement agencies to identify and apprehend these criminals. Technology like Flock ALPR has become an integral part of appending violent criminals and its effectiveness is amplified when paired with experienced law enforcement professionals. Thank you to our partner agencies for their on-going assistance and cooperation.”
The three individuals apprehended face charges from multiple jurisdictions. Claudia Teresa Aldana Restrepo, 50, of Colombia, Luis Felipe Garcia Baez, 48, of Mexico and Elisa Andrea Espitia Campos, 47, of Colombia were all charged by Culpeper Police with felony robbery with a firearm, felony abduction by force, felony use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and felony conspiracy to commit robbery. In Orange County, the three were charged with felony robbery with a firearm, felony carjacking with a firearm, felony abduction by force, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and conspiracy to commit robbery.
The three are being held at the Central Virginia Regional Jail without bail. Additional charges are expected to be filed in both Culpeper and Orange counties as the investigation continues.
