HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - A 23-year-old Hialeah woman is facing an armed robbery charge after police said she followed two women from a bank, lured them to a supermarket parking lot and robbed them at gunpoint of $8.
According to an arrest affidavit, the victims had just left a Chase Bank on West 49th Street shortly after midnight on July 17 after depositing money when they noticed a dark-colored sedan following them.
The driver, later identified as Laura Elena Leyva, pulled alongside their vehicle and asked for help with jumper cables. The victims agreed and followed her to the President Supermarket parking lot. .
Police said that once the victims parked, Leyva got out of her vehicle, approached the driver’s side window, displayed a firearm and demanded the money she believed they had withdrawn from the bank.
One of the victims told Leyva they had only made a deposit, while the other, fearing for her life, handed over the only cash in the vehicle $8 from the center console.
Investigators said Leyva then fled westbound on West 29th Street.
Detectives said surveillance video captured the suspect’s vehicle following the victims from the bank to the parking lot.
After being taken to Hialeah Police headquarters, Leyva invoked her Miranda rights and was arrested.
During bond court, a judge found probable cause, granted prosecutors’ motion for pretrial detention and ordered Leyva held without bond pending a detention hearing.
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