PANAMA CITY BEACH - Deputies responded to a home in Bay Point when a woman called to report Benjamin Quattrocchi had stolen her 38 revolver Sunday morning at about 9 a.m.
The victim stated Quattrocchi had paid someone to give him a ride to her home. While visiting he asked to see her revolver. The victim brought out the firearm and then left Quattrocchi alone for a moment. When she returned to the room, he was gone and the gun was missing. The victim did not immediately report the theft, but was calling now because a mutual friend of hers and Quattrocchi’s had called her to inform her that Benjamin Quattrocchi had just threatened someone with the gun, according to a news release.
Subsequent investigation revealed Quattrocchi had earlier arranged for a man to drive him to Bay Point and then to a storage unit business on Thomas Drive in exchange for gas money. Once Quattrocchi left the Bay Point home with the stolen firearm, the driver of the vehicle told deputies he noticed Quattrocchi acting very strange, almost frantic, so he asked him what was wrong, according to a news release.
It was then that Quattrocchi allegedly put the gun to the driver’s head and demanded he be given a ride or he would kill the driver, officials wrote. The driver told investigators he drove until he saw a gas station and convenience store on Magnolia Beach Drive. He pulled into the parking lot and jumped out of the car and ran and hid inside the bathroom in the convenience store. When he finally came out to his car, Quattrocchi was gone. The driver explained he feared for his life and had been held against his will due to the threat with the firearm. Investigators located Benjamin Quattrocchi at about 10 a.m. and placed him under arrest.
Quattrocchi, 71, of Panama City Beach, was charged with theft of a firearm, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment.