Vehicle stolen during rape, home invasion found in Maitland

No arrest made in attack

MAITLAND, Fla.UPDATE: Police released a 911 call made from one of the kidnapping victims. Click here to hear that call.

A vehicle that was stolen during a home invasion that escalated into a rape, kidnapping and carjacking on Saturday has been located in Maitland, police officials said.

An unknown man armed with a knife forced two women into one of the victim's 2006 Toyota Matrix after he pushed his way into the unit they were in at Stonecastle Apartments around 8 p.m. and raped one of the women, according to officials from the Casselberry Police Department.

The attacker fled in the vehicle, leaving the two victims at a Publix in Maitland where he was trying to get one of the women to withdraw money from an ATM.

[READ: Crimeline tips help solve crimes in Central Florida]

One of the victims could be heard on the 911 call in panic. 

"I was going to give him whatever he wanted if he would just leave me alone," said the victim.

She goes on to tell emergency dispatchers, "No I don't know him. He's a stranger. We have no idea who this person is, I thought he was UPS leaving a delivery at the door." 

Casselberry police on Monday urged the public to be on the lookout for the stolen vehicle and a man who matched the description the victims provided -- possibly homeless with light-colored, curly, shoulder-length hair with some facial hair, an average build and between 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall.

Authorities on Tuesday also released a call to the police department's non-emergency line that was made before the attack, during which a witness said he saw a man wandering around Stonecastle Apartments barefoot and acting suspiciously.

"He was hiding in someone's doorway and then he saw them coming he basically, like, ran away and was, like, looking for people's doors that were open and stuff," the witness said.

The witness also told the operator that the man was "acting like he was stalking somebody."

On Tuesday, Maitland police said the Toyota Matrix was found around 9:30 a.m. in an abandoned parking lot near U.S. Highway 17-92 and Versailles Circle. Casselberry police will take possession of the vehicle and process it for evidence.

Residents at Stonecastle Apartments said they're being more careful. 

"The home invasion was pretty scary. I live with my dog and my fiancé so time to time, I’m by myself," neighbor Erica Hosch said. "Just have to keep everything locked up and hope that you feel safe in the community that you’re living in." 

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Casselberry Police Department at 800-423-TIPS (8477).


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