Two Florida men, Luis Charles, 26, and Odardy Maldonado-Rodriguez, 32, were arrested following a harrowing home invasion that involved the use of an Apple AirTag to track their victims. The incident, which officials described as “every family’s worst nightmare,” unfolded on August 19 when the suspects allegedly affixed the location tracker to the couple’s SUV, enabling them to follow the couple back to their home in Odessa.
As the couple exited their vehicle in their driveway, the assailants ambushed them at gunpoint. Surveillance video from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office depicted the confrontation, showing one suspect, donned in a high-visibility safety vest, brandishing a firearm and forcibly taking the woman from the passenger seat. The second suspect, attired in darker clothing and a mask, restrained the male driver, all while the couple was thrust into their garage.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister lamented the shocking nature of the crime, emphasizing that feeling unsafe in one’s own home represents an unimaginable fear for families. In a stroke of good fortune for the victims, an alarm system was activated, prompting the suspects to flee just before law enforcement arrived.
Charles was apprehended during a traffic stop in Tampa on October 8, with police bodycam footage capturing the moment he was taken into custody. Two days later, Maldonado-Rodriguez was located and arrested in nearby Pasco County. Both men face multiple serious charges, including armed burglary, two counts of armed kidnapping, robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment, and illegal installation of a tracking device.
Sheriff Chronister commended the detectives for their diligence in apprehending the suspects, stating that their efforts would help restore peace to the community. While in custody, Charles has additionally been charged with sexual battery involving a minor, according to jail records. Both suspects are currently held at the Hillsborough County jail without bond, facing significant legal consequences for their actions.
This incident serves as a vivid reminder of the potential dangers of technology misuse, underscoring the importance of remaining vigilant and aware of one’s surroundings.