Robbery Suspect Tried to Evade Arrest as He Climbed Down from 6th Floor using Balcony in Florida; Arrested after Dramatic Descent
A suspect involved in an armed robbery was apprehended in Florida on Monday, after attempting to evade capture by deputies by leaping from balcony to balcony, as reported by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
According to authorities, Jorge Garcia-Palacio is suspected of being connected to a series of armed robberies that have taken place in the Tampa Bay area in recent weeks.
Garcia-Palacio was spotted at the Godfrey Hotel on Rocky Point. Upon the arrival of the detectives, he promptly opened the door, only to swiftly lock it upon spotting the deputies, as reported by the sheriff’s office.
According to deputies, he skillfully maneuvered from one balcony to another, descending from the sixth floor to the second, in order to evade arrest.
A group of law enforcement officers, including armed deputies and Tampa police, gathered in the parking lot below, closely observing his descent and urging him to surrender.
Garcia-Palacio has been apprehended and is now facing several charges.
The 23-year-old man listed the hotel as his home, jail records obtained by the Miami Herald show. His charges include:
- Five counts of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling
- Resisting an officer without violence
- Felony petit theft Robbery with a firearm
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Robbery while wearing a mask with a firearm or deadly weapon
- Armed kidnapping