PANAMA CITY — Authorities have apprehended a Panama City man in connection with a broad daylight abduction of a woman at gunpoint, Panama City Police Department announced Wednesday.
Freddy Lee Thomas, 37, was arrested after incidentally being caught on security camera footage from outside a bail bond business. Law enforcement sought Thomas for a kidnapping incident where a woman was held at gunpoint and made to drive to an ATM and withdraw money, according to arrest reports.
The victim told police she was in her car at the dead end of West 13th Street having lunch when a man got into her car, sat in the back seat and nudged a gun in her side.
--- WOMAN BRIEFLY ABDUCTED, FORCED TO WITHDRAW MONEY»»
During the kidnapping, the victim was forced to drive to a Tyndall Federal Credit Union ATM to withdraw $400. She then was instructed to drive to a specified location, where her assailant took personal items and exited the vehicle, fleeing the area, police reported.
The security footage detectives got from Steele Boys’ Bail Bonds, 1003 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., clearly shows Thomas exiting the victim’s vehicle and running away, police said.
The next day U.S. Marshals, police and deputies arrested Thomas in the 500 block of North Everitt Avenue. Authorities found several items relating to the case in Thomas’ home afterward, police reported.
Thomas was transported to the Bay County Jail and charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and felon in possession of a firearm. He previously has been convicted for possession of crack cocaine, robbery and aggravated fleeing and eluding police.
Thomas is being held on a $515,000 bond.