CBS4 Exclusive: Police Say Cameras Catch Rolex Robber Moments Before Theft
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CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – New surveillance tape obtained exclusively by CBS4 shows one of three women who Coral Gables police arrested for reportedly robbing a man of three Rolex watches worth nearly $60,000.
Coral Gables officer and spokeswoman Kelly Denham told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that it all started when a 44-year-old southwest Miami-Dade man met the three women Tuesday night and had drinks on Miami Beach.
They agreed to go back to the victim's apartment off Edgewater Drive.
Before arriving, the surveillance tape shows what happened when they stopped at a gas station at the corner of Douglas Road and South Dixie Highway.
The station manager told D'Oench that the suspect bought a 12-pack of beer and 2 packs of cigarettes. The next stop was the victim's apartment.
"Their intent was to defraud him all along," said Denham. "At the apartment they convinced him to take a shower. And while he was doing that, two of the girls rummaged through items and they stole things from him, including the watches that were worth nearly $60,000."
They fled but detectives got a break.
"A wallet was found on the scene that was dropped by one of the suspects and a cell phone," she said. "We were able to coerce one of the suspects to meet us to return one of the items. That's when the arrest was made. And through good police work, detectives were able to locate the other two suspects."
She continued, "Like most people, they said they were not involved but the victim did pick them out of photo lineup and we can put them at the apartment at the time and we can especially can put them in the gas station, so we do have the correct people in custody."
The women arrested are 29-year-old India Williams, 37-year-old Annfelise Walker and 35-year-old Keonia Chaney.
Records show Williams has been arrested twice before for prostitution and once for burglary. She has hired an attorney but a spokeswoman for that attorney said he had no comment.
A look into Walker's records revealed she has been arrested three times in the past for prostitution.
Chaney's records show she had some outstanding warrants and has been arrested three times for prostitution and once for burglary.
The trio is currently charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling and grand theft.
All three women went before a judge in bond court on Thursday.
Denham said there's a lesson here.
"In the back of your mind you have to always think that people are out to defraud you and get you to commit some things you would not ordinarily do," she said.
Police are working to find out if the suspects are connected to a larger operation as the crime mirrors another case from January.
In that case, two other women – who were also captured on surveillance photos – targeted, drugged and robbed men after being picked up at swanky bars in Coral Gables.
"We still don't know," Denham said. "We had a couple of other cases that occurred not just in our jurisdiction but all over South Florida. We don't know if there is a ringleader or there's a connection. We continue to share information with other law enforcement agencies to see if see if there is a common denominator with these crimes."
CBS4 did reach out the victim by leaving a message at the company he works at. He did not respond.
