A man managed to escape from a gunpoint kidnapping in Doral, Miami-Dade, after throwing about $4,000 in cash into some bushes to distract his assailants during an iPhone sale arranged through Facebook Marketplace, according to the victim's account gathered by the police.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 9, and ended with the arrest of a 31-year-old man, a resident of Miami Gardens, accused of involvement in the events, as reported this Monday by the network WSVN 7News, which cited the police report.
The victim had already purchased a phone from the arrested individual on September 28, without any issues. When he offered her more iPhones again, she agreed to meet near her apartment building, but this time she asked him to come to the back of the property.
As she approached a white BMW occupied by two men, one of them, who was reclining in the back seat, suddenly sat up and aimed a gun at her head.
The subjects forced him into the vehicle and took off while the armed man pressed the gun against his side.
"We want everything you have; we want your money; we want your business," demanded one of the assailants, according to the police report.
The victim tried to escape, but both men held her back and forced her into the car again. One of them even threatened to kill her.
"We can negotiate something, please, don't hurt me," the man pleaded.
In a second escape attempt, he threw about $4,000 in cash into some bushes. When the armed individual got out of the BMW to collect the cash, the victim struggled until breaking the strap of a bag that had become entangled around his neck.
He finally managed to escape and took refuge among the vegetation near a business, fearing that his attackers would return.
He later received a text message threatening him to prevent him from reporting what had happened.
The detectives identified the accused through the phone number used to coordinate the transactions and the vehicle records, according to the police report. He was arrested on Sunday during an intervention on State Road 826.
The man faces charges of kidnapping, armed robbery, grand theft, and interference with a victim or witness. A judge determined that there was probable cause to proceed with the case and ordered him to be held without bail. That decision does not constitute a finding of guilt.
The information published by WSVN does not include statements from the accused or their defense regarding the charges.
The case recalls other thefts linked to online transactions in South Florida. In May 2026, four individuals were arrested in Miami-Dade for their possible involvement in at least 11 robberies and six grand thefts, primarily targeting sellers of phones contacted through digital platforms.
In light of these risks, the authorities recommend conducting transactions in secure exchange areas located in official facilities, avoiding isolated places, and going accompanied whenever possible.
The available information does not specify whether the authorities have identified or located the second man.
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