Miami PD Arrests Two For Alleged Robbery Of Swedish Tourists
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami police have arrested a pair of alleged police impersonators who robbed two tourists from Sweden.
Alejandro Filguieras, 19, and William Carles, 35, have were arrested and charged with the crime.
Filguieras was found in Homestead, August 15. He is charged with two counts of strong arm robbery, two counts of falsely personating an officer and one count of robbery carjacking attempt.
Carles was found August 17 and police said he admitted to taking part in the robbery. He was charged with one count of strong arm robbery, falsely personating an officer and attempted carjacking.
Police said 36-year old Manuel Seminario was taking the couple to the airport in his cab when they were robbed at the intersection of NW 37th Avenue and 14th Street July 16.
Seminario told police he was stopped behind a silver Toyota at a traffic light. When the light changed, it didn't move, so he honked his horn. That's when, Seminario said, two men got out and walked toward his cab.
He told police the first man screamed expletives at him as he approached the driver side of the car. The second man, who was holding what looked like a police badge, went to the passenger side.
Seminario said the man standing by his door then yanked it open, pulled him from the cab, forced him to his knees and patted him down.
According to police, the second man then pulled one of the passengers, 28-year old Ermina Lennartsson, from the cab and went through her purse. He then threw the bag in the Toyota. He then grabbed a bag from the second passenger, 28-year old Glenn Lennartsson, and began to go through it, police said.
Lennartsson pleaded with the man not to take it because it had their passports. The man handed the bag back to Lennartsson.
The second man then grabbed Seminario's backpack and bag from the front seat of the cab and threw them into his car.
The impersonators explained that they were searching for drugs and then all three victims were patted down and their luggage was searched. Seminario and the Lennartssons were then ordered to get back in the cab as the two men returned to the Toyota and drove off with the couple's and cabbie's belongings including wallets with credit cards, a gold chain, a purse, a camera, cell phones and nearly $500 in cash.
Just ten minutes earlier, police said the two men attempted the same act on a female victim at the Orion Gas Station, located at 1055 N.W. 27 Avenue, however, they were unsuccessful.
