Press Releases

North Cape Armed Robbery
January 17, 2009

A random robbery in North Cape Coral has detectives leaning on the public’s help to find two armed perpetrators who may very well strike again.

“They threatened that they were gonna shoot if the victim’s didn’t cooperate," said Cape Coral Police Department Detective Christine Mena.

A father and his son were simply standing next to a car talking, when two young men circled the area, then stopped to ask the victims for directions. Moments later, guns were drawn and the victims realized they were being robbed.

The robbery occurred around eight o’clock at night at one of the most safe and sacred places imaginable – a church parking lot. But that’s where the victims say they were held at gunpoint, forced to the ground, and robbed of their cash, jewelry and cell phones.

The men took off in a gold Toyota Camry, but it wouldn’t be the last time they’d been seen. One of the victims spotted his attackers a few weeks later at a Lehigh area grocery store.

“They actually looked at the victim, did a double take, appeared to become uncomfortable – dropped the item they were going to purchase, and immediately exited the store," Mena said.

Surveillance cameras at the store captured images of the suspects. Now all they need are names to go with the faces.

“The victim feels almost 100% that these two guys were the guys who committed the crime on him," Mena said.

Cape police describe the suspects as young men – one dark haired with a scruffy appearance, the other a baby faced blonde. Both were armed with noticeably small revolvers.

Police are also looking into the robbery’s relation to a drive by shooting which occurred just a few blocks away 15 minutes later.

“It seemed a little too coincidental that shortly after the original robbery that we have a shooting just down the street," Mena said.

The suspects could be driving a gold Camry or a white Ford Focus. At this point, police simply want to identify the men in this video and talk with them about the incidents.

Anyone with information on the November armed robbery in North Cape Coral is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for up to $1,000 in cash rewards.

Tips may also be made online at www.swflcrimestoppers.org.