Two men were arrested after they allegedly kidnapped and robbed a man who they believed was going to rip them off as they were trying to buy a car in Broward County.
The suspects are a father and son, 50-year-old Oscar Garcia-Berrios and 23-year-old Brandon Garcia.
According to court records, Garcia bought a 2021 white Mercedes-Benz S500 sedan for $37,000 cash on Nov. 26.
Two days later, Garcia received a text message he believes was sent accidentally from one of the victims working for the car salesman.
In the message, the victim said “he intended to provide a temporary tag and rip [the suspects’] off,” the court documents details.
Garcia then arranged to meet with the victim at the shop on 1424 Southwest 12th Avenue in Pompano Beach, and the victim agreed to “sort out the discrepancies.”
When the victim arrived, he saw Garcia, his father, and another man who has not been identified.
The men “demanded that he immediately change the title and issue a permanent tag,” and when the victim said certain documentation was required and that he wouldn’t bypass regulations, Garcia allegedly pulled out an AR-15-style weapon and his father produced a pistol.
The report states that Garcia pointed the gun at the victim, and ordered him to call the car salesman and refund him. When the men saw that the victim was also armed, they took his gun.
As the victim tried to call the car salesman, at one point he was able to secretly text his girlfriend and ask her to call police.
For the next 40 minutes, the men allegedly took pictures of all the cards and identification in the victim’s wallet, and also stole items.
Then the victim’s concerned girlfriend arrived at the scene, and she too was held against her will, the report states.
The suspects then allegedly forced the victims at gunpoint to drive them to the car salesman’s mother’s house. At one point the male victim tried to suggest meeting the salesman instead at a Wawa on Broward Boulevard, where he knew law enforcement frequently patrolled, but when the suspects saw authorities, they were forced to move on.
Later, Garcia “told the couple he could kill them and forced them out of the car at gunpoint” before he took the wheel and made them get back into the car.
Finally, they got in touch with the car salesman who agreed to meet at the RaceTrac gas station in Hollywood. Meanwhile, the victim was able to text his family members, tell them he had been kidnapped and share his location.
Police met them there after receiving a distress call from the victim’s family.
Authorities said they arrested Garcia with the AR-15-style pistol in his backpack, a handgun in his waistband, and a phone he had taken from the victim.
Garcia and Garcia-Berrios were charged with kidnapping, robbery with a weapon and aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony. The third man had driven off earlier during the kidnapping and has not been identified.
Garcia and Garcia-Berrios were ordered held without bond.
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