Violent crime continues in the tiny town of Punta Gorda.
Police are reporting tonight that there was an armed robbery yesterday at a motel.
At around 4 p.m., cops showed to the Golden Motel Inn, and they spoke with the owner, 73-year-old Hsu Chio Pi-Chen. The owner told them that about half an hour before they arrived, 3 people, including 1 female and 2 males, entered his business place. One of them was armed with a gun, and they demanded cash and valuables. They ransacked the business place and stole an undisclosed amount of money, jewelry, and beverages. They then made their escape by stealing the owner's Toyota Hilux Pickup, which was parked in the garage.
About 45 minutes later, Police were conducting a vehicular checkpoint on the Southern Highway between Miles 47 and 48 at the Trio Junction. That's when a black Ford Ranger Pickup arrived with 2 persons inside. They identified themselves as 22-year-old Kimberly Monique Coy, a resident of Placencia Village, and 23-year-old Kobe Stephan Dyer, a resident of Hattieville Village. The cops searched the vehicle and found a.45 MM caliber pistol and a magazine that contained 3 live rounds of ammunition. They also found alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, and a laptop inside the vehicle. Since neither of the occupants could produce a firearm license, they were detained pending investigation.
A team of officers then conducted a high patrol, and while they were passing an area between miles 15 and 16 on the Southern Highway, they spotted the stolen Toyota Hilux pickup. Police chased after the vehicle, but the driver managed to pull over and escape by running into the nearby bushes. The officers have since recovered the stolen vehicle, and they continue to investigate.
