4 Disney Tourists, Worker Kidnapped At Gunpoint
Pair Of Kidnappings Possibly Related
POSTED: Tuesday, March 12, 2002
UPDATED: 2:36 pm EST March 12,
2002
Four Disney tourists and a Downtown Disney worker were kidnapped at gunpoint early Tuesday and driven around Orlando after being robbed, according to Local 6 News.
Investigators said that a 24-year-old man who worked at a Downtown Disney store was confronted by a lone gunman in the parking lot between 1 and 1:30 a.m.
The man said that he was tied up at gunpoint, forced into his car's trunk and then driven around Orlando. He said that he was also forced to give up money, credit cards and PIN numbers.
While he was in the trunk, the victim believes that his accounts were raided.
The car was abandoned at the Mission Club Apartments located on South International Drive.
The victim escaped by kicking out the back seat of the car and crawling out the front of the car.
He ran to the resort office and received assistance.
Authorities said a second, possibly related, incident happened shortly after the Disney worker was abducted.
Four tourists were confronted by a gunman as they left Disney's Pleasure Island complex.
The group was allegedly forced to get into a car and drive the suspect to a convenience store in Orange County.
At the store, the suspect met three other men, according to Local 6 News.
The men then tied up the victims and drove them around Orange County until the car became stuck in sand.
Investigators said that the victims eventually went to the Ramada Vacation Suites and called for help after the suspects left the scene of the stuck car. The victims were not seriously injured.
"There are enough similarities in these two situations, the way they took place, the way they unfolded, conversations among the bad guys if you will, that lead us to believe that some of the same players are involved," Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Solomon's said.
The suspects are still missing.
If you have any information concerning this case you are urged to call Crimeline at (800) 423-TIPS.
Watch Local 6 News for the latest.
Please refresh this page for updates.
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