16-year-old found safe after Amber Alert

Marcus Hatch taken at gunpoint in home invasion robbery, deputies say

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A 16-year-old being held at gunpoint during a home invasion robbery who was sought as a possible kidnapping victim by St. Johns County deputies has been found safe, deputies said.

According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, Marcus Anthony Hatch was brought to a home on Great Harbor Way at gunpoint during a home invasion. An Amber Alert was issued for Hatch, who was found in Jacksonville in good health.

A couple who lives in the invaded home, which is West of A1A off Ponte Vedra Lakes Boulevard, told deputies that they knew Hatch as a resident of Jacksonville. The couple and a roommate were tied up by three men who took the couple's car and Hatch, who was still being held at gunpoint, deputies said.

The victims were able to untie themselves and called the sheriff's office, reported News 6 partner WJXT.

The stolen vehicle is a 2009 Grey Subaru Legacy with Florida “Air Force” tag AKN6Z. The hubcaps are silver except for the front passenger wheel and there are scratches on the driver's side rear door. There is a middle finger sticker and a sticker that says "Thrasher" on the back of the vehicle.

Hatch was described as a Hispanic male, 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

Deputies released images of a person of interest in the case who was driving a white Jeep Grand Cherokee. Deputies said the man was connected to the investigation because he used a credit card stolen from the residence at two gas stations -- one in Ponte Vedra and another in the Arlington area of Jacksonville. Deputies said the do not believe the man was at the home during the robbery.

According to deputies, the couple answered a knock at their door Monday night and were confronted by two men armed with handguns and wearing camouflage clothing. The men forcibly entered the home and ordered the victims to stay in a particular area of the home, while they gathered property.

Sometime later, a third man arrived holding Hatch at gunpoint.

As the incident continued, a roommate of the couple arrived home and was also held at gunpoint, deputies said.
The men tied up the couple and the roommate and left with Hatch in the couple's car.

The men are described as being in their 20s. Deputies released the following descriptions of the men:

Suspect 1: Dark skinned black man, 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with light facial hair and dreadlocks approx. 4-5 inches long and woven into 12 to 18 pony tails with beads. He was also identified as having four silver caps on his top four teeth (a silver grill). He was last seen wearing a red hoodie and black sweat pants with dark gym shorts underneath, and answered to the name “Trey” at the residence.      
Suspect 2: Light skinned black man, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds. He was wearing a camo jacket with a tan cargo vest and tan cargo pants with multiple pockets. He also had dark shorts under his pants and wore dark “Vans” style shoes and a black and white beanie cap.
Suspect 3:  Light skinned black man, 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 180 to 190 pounds with a tattoo near the corner of his eye. He was last seen wearing a camo jacket with blue jeans, black Jordan style shoes with red soles, and a black beanie cap. 

St. Johns County investigators contacted the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to help identify Hatch and learned that he had not been seen since yesterday.

He is being interviewed by investigators about the incident.

The stolen car and the men are still being sought by deputies.


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