Crime & Safety

Bradenton Crime Ring Using Blond Woman to Lure Victims

A crime ring has been using a blond woman to lure male victims to various locations where they are robbed of their personal items, their vehicle and their pants, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The most recent incident occurred Monday night at the Walmart, 2911 53rd Ave. E, Bradenton when a 24-year-old male victim was returning to his vehicle around 11:30 p.m. after shopping in the store and was jumped and kidnapped, according to the report.

The blond woman, who was parked next to him in a dark Ford Expedition with Texas tags, got his attention when she asked him for directions, the report states. When he approached her vehicle, two Hispanic males armed with assault rifles grabbed him and him forced into the SUV, the report said.

One of the males took the victim’s keys and left the area in his car, while the blond followed the victim’s car to an area behind Sam’s Club where he was reportedly robbed of all his belongings, including his shirt and pants.

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He was “kicked out” of the car at the 3900 block of 26th Ave. E., in Bradenton wearing only his underwear, the report states. At some point, the report said, he was hit in the head with a firearm.

He reportedly flagged down a passing motorist to report the incident and the MCSO violent crimes task force, the report said. 

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The case is the second in just over a week that involved the blond Hispanic woman in the dark Expedition with Texas Tags.

“The incidents are not exactly the same but have a similar M-O where the female acted as the lure,” said David Bristol, spokesperson for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. “We are currently looking into those similarities.”

Last week, two men were robbed of their belongings and their pickup after they went home with two females at El Paisano, a restaurant and bar located at 5803 15th St. E., Bradenton. One of the women was described as blond, and driving dark colored Ford Expedition. The suspects invited the two men to eat with them at McDonalds then gave them directions to their house on 43rd Terrace. 

When the men arrived at the home, they were instructed to go around the back of the house and go inside, a report states. As they approached the rear of the residence where three masked gunmen wearing gloves demanded their money in Spanish. Two of the men were armed with assault rifles while the other wielded a Spanish pistol.

They also lost their vehicle and items of clothing to the theives. 

Bristol said he is not aware of any other incidents that have occurred recently that involved the blond woman. She is described as Hispanic and reported has a tattoo of a flower on her neck and shoulder area. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the MCSO at 941-747-3011 or to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers (toll free) at 1-866-634-8477 (TIPS) or send an anonymous E-Tip thru the web at www.manateecrimestoppers.com.


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