Thursday, November 6, 2014

Bad Credit + GPS Tracking = "Vicious Predator" Arrested

Whether or not you like GPS tracking by car dealerships or banks, this time it turned out well...

From NBC New York:
Less than 72 hours after being violently snatched off a Philadelphia street as she walked home from visiting her godson, Carlesha Freeland-Gaither has been rescued from the "vicious predator" police say kidnapped her.

Now as she recovers from the attack that was caught on video, the focus moves onto her alleged abductor who authorities have linked to a similar crime against a teenage girl.

"I’m taking my baby home. Thank you," Keisha Gaither, the woman's overjoyed mother, told the public at a news conference Wednesday night. Her family erupted into applause as the woman spoke.

The 22-year-old was rescued from the car of her alleged kidnapper, 37-year-old Delvin Barnes, in a Jessup, Maryland parking lot Wednesday afternoon, officials said. She suffered some injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital in Columbia, Maryland for treatment, police said. She was listed in good condition and expected to recover. The family drove to the hospital Wednesday night. Early Thursday, shortly after 1 a.m., Carlesha and her family left the hospital.

“It’s very special for all of us. You hope, you hope, you hope, but you don't really know until you're actually able to get her, and make sure she's OK. So it's very important that this has a happy ending," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said.

Agents moved in quickly after receiving a tip from the ATF Office in Richmond, Virginia that Barnes may be the suspect after seeing his picture in news reports, Philadelphia detectives said.

They began tracking his gray Ford Taurus through a GPS device placed inside the vehicle by the car dealership where it was purchased, detectives said. The GPS was installed because Barnes had poor credit, officials said.

Agents honed in on his location, in a shopping center parking lot, and moved in to strike.


"He was more surprised than anything," ATF agent Tim Jones said recounting the arrest.

Barnes and the victim were in the backseat of the car when agents arrived, but he quickly jumped into the driver's seat to try and flee, Jones said. Agents blocked his way and took him into custody.

See the video and read the full article HERE.




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