Kissimmee man arrested after bank robbery at Space Coast Credit Union in Indialantic
A 34-year-old Kissimmee man was arrested early Wednesday in connection with a robbery at an Indialantic bank the previous day, police said.
After a robbery at Indialantic's Space Coast Credit Union, during which $3,800 was stolen, Juan Antonio Rodriguez Gonzalez was arrested just after midnight Wednesday and charged with robbery and grand theft, according to an arrest affidavit. He is being held at Brevard County Jail with a bail of $11,000.
The robbery took place just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, when Rodriguez Gonzalez went to a bank clerk and gave her a handwritten note, the affidavit said. The note instructed her to give him money and not to call the police. It went on to say that he had been discriminated against, he could not work and was disabled.
Rodriguez Gonzalez began yelling not to call the police and that he was hungry as the clerk read the note, the affidavit said. Initially he asked for $1,500, but asked for more money after the clerk gave it to him. She gave him another $2,300. All money given to Rodriguez Gonzalez was in $100 bills, she told police.
Rodriguez Gonzalez took the money and left the area, the affidavit said. Indialantic police responded with a "heavy police presence" and searched the area with a helicopter, but Rodriguez Gonzalez was not located in the area.
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With assistance from Melbourne Beach police, police identified Rodriguez Gonzalez through security footage and later located him late Tuesday night driving a 2014 Nissan four-door vehicle before parking in a disabled parking space at the Melbourne Beach Exxon, the affidavit said.
When police told Rodriguez Gonzalez they wanted to speak to him about the robbery, Rodriguez Gonzalez asked for a Spanish speaking police officer, the affidavit said. Police called Melbourne Police Department to send an officer.
While they waited for the officer to arrive, Rodriguez Gonzalez talked to Indialantic police about facing discrimination and said he was attempting to file an identity theft case in Virginia, the affidavit said. He told them that he works in West Melbourne and was sent home Tuesday without pay, and that was why he "did what he did." He told police he was hungry and only went to the bank to get money, saying he didn't have a gun and was not going to use the money on drugs.
When the Melbourne police officer arrived, Rodriguez Gonzalez requested a lawyer be present for questioning, the affidavit said. Court paperwork does not list an attorney.
Police located $3,600 in $100 bills and other smaller denominations on Rodriguez Gonzalez, the affidavit said.
Grand theft in Florida is classified as a third-degree felony if the property stolen is valued between $750 and $20,000. There is a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison or five years on probation and/or a fine of $5,000.
Robbery without the possession or use of a weapon is a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Finch Walker is a Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Man arrested following Space Coast Credit Union robbery in Indialantic
