A couple from Florida experienced a terrifying ordeal when they were allegedly abducted at gunpoint in their own driveway after a night out. The incident occurred after two men reportedly used Apple AirTags to track their vehicle. The suspects, Luis Charles, 26, and Omardy Maldonado Rodriguez, 32, are currently detained at the Hillsborough County Jail, facing charges of armed burglary and armed kidnapping.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported that on the evening of August 19, the couple returned to their Odessa home, located approximately 25 miles north of Tampa, around 10 p.m. Upon arrival, they were confronted by Charles and Maldonado Rodriguez, who allegedly forced them out of their SUV at gunpoint and into their garage.
When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered an active Apple AirTag attached to the couple’s SUV with adhesive tape. According to a probable cause statement, the couple was forced into a physical altercation with the armed suspects in their driveway. The suspects then allegedly compelled the couple to open their garage door.
Inside the home, one of the suspects reportedly demanded the husband to hand over his possessions. Ultimately, Charles and Maldonado Rodriguez allegedly made off with the husband’s keys, which included a key fob that triggered the home’s alarm system. The suspects then reportedly fled on foot to a nearby parked vehicle and drove off.
Interestingly, the same technology that the suspects allegedly used to track their victims was used by the police to locate them. After obtaining records from Apple, law enforcement discovered that the AirTags were registered to Charles. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle used by the suspects to escape was registered to Maldonado Rodriguez.
Court documents also revealed multiple phone calls between the suspects in the days leading up to the incident, dating back to August 7. Charles was arrested on October 9 and during questioning, he reportedly confessed to purchasing the AirTags found on the victims’ vehicle. Maldonado Rodriguez was arrested the following day. Both men are currently being held without bond at Hillsborough County Jail.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister expressed his concern over the incident on Facebook, stating that being ambushed at gunpoint in one’s own home is every family’s worst nightmare.