Woman, Boyfriend Charged in Robbery, Abduction, Car Burning

Police have arrested a woman and her boyfriend who they say were responsible for robbing and abducting a St. Petersburg man, using his bank card at an ATM to withdraw money, then burning an SUV they stole from him.

Juliann Betancourt, 26, and Jeffrey Santiago, 49, were both taken into custody without incident by detectives around 5:40 p.m. Wednesday in the 3700 block of Fourth Street North, according to St. Petersburg Police.

Detectives say Betancourt is the woman seen on security camera footage April 22 at an ATM machine at a TD Bank, withdrawing money from the 55-year-old victim's account.

Betancourt and Sanitago are accused of taking the card from the man, whom they had approached hours earlier outside his home in the 1700 block of 22nd Avenue North.  

The victim was "mildly acquainted" with Betancourt, police said, and the two suspects had been invited into the victim's home that night. At some point after midnight, according to detectives, Santiago pulled out a knife and forced the man into his own SUV.

The two then took the man's ATM card, demanding his pin number, and forced the man to ride with them as they made a withdrawal, police said. They then drove him back to his home before driving off in the man's SUV.

The 1999 Ford Expedition was found burning and abandoned in the area of 28th Avenue North and 11th Street a short time later, police said.

Both Betancourt and Santiago were charged with armed robbery, a police spokesperson said. Betancourt was also charged with arson, while Santiago was additionally charged with possession of prescription drug.

Detectives say additional charges in the case are pending.

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