CORAL GABLES, Fla. (WSVN) — The FBI has confirmed that everyone is safe after a man was kidnapped and forced to rob the bank where he works. However, the bomb squad is still working to defuse a possible explosive device found strapped to the man.
Coral Gables Police spokesperson Jeannette Frevola held a brief press conference at the scene Friday, just after 12 noon, soon after the final individual was removed from inside the Bank of America on 1500 South Dixie Highway. She confirmed that this last person had a device strapped to him. “We did have a subject at one point that had a device on him,” she said.
The FBI said this person, who works at the bank, was kidnapped from his home and forced to rob it, first thing that morning. The FBI reported that three suspects accompanied him to the bank, but police arrived soon after, at around 8:30 a.m. Hostage negotiators tried reasoning with the suspects, but they somehow fled the scene. Police were able to recover the kidnapped employee safely and now have him in custody. “The individual has been brought out, and he is being questioned,” said Frevola.
Hugo Nunez del Prado identified himself as a friend of the subject police have in custody, who he identified as Diego Uscamayta. Del Prado said someone had kidnapped Uscamayta from his Kendall home late last night. “Yesterday, for seven hours, he was kidnapped in his house,” Del Prado said.
He said he and Uscamayta’s family suspect whoever kidnapped him knew that he opened the bank every morning. “The only thing we know is because he opens the bank, he is the main key holder,” Del Prado said.
Del Prado said the people behind this crime must have been watching Uscamayta and planning this scheme for some time. “What I believe is that they were studying him for a couple of months or weeks. Everything looks like it’s planned … Diego is a friend of mine. We all know that Diego is innocent after this. He is the victim. That’s it.”
Bank of America released this brief statement following the man’s rescue: “The safety of our associates is our highest priority and Bank of America is working closely with law enforcement to assist in the situation.”
One man witnessed the police activity around the bank that morning, which also had customers inside when the suspects entered. “As I came into the Publix parking lot, I got about 100 yards from the bank, and that’s when I saw the police really start moving in, and they surrounded the bank with their SWAT cars,” said Clark Jones. “Subsequently to that, I saw a bunch of SWAT people coming in and setting up a perimeter on the walls of the bank.”
Jones also said he knows the bank employee who was allegedly abducted. “Probably around 8 a.m., I saw a lady coming out of the bank, and I heard that the person they had hostage in the bank is a guy who is a really nice person, one of my long-time tellers in that bank, and so it’s very upsetting.”
Students at nearby University of Miami have received notice of the situation. Riviera Day School, Sunset Elementary, Ludlam Elementary and West Lab Elementary have been placed on lock down.
Miami-Dade Transit officials had suspended Metrorail service between Douglas Road and South Miami Stations throughout the ordeal, but it is now running on schedule again. Officials, however, continue to have US 1 shut down in both directions from Red Road to Mariposa Avenue, as they continue to deal with the suspicious device inside. “Stay away from this area until we have this device detonated,” Frevola said.
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