Two men have been charged with kidnapping for ransom/robbery in Culver City, police said Friday.
Franzezo Dumitru, 23, of Washington state and Stan Eduardo, 21 of New York, were arrested on Tuesday in Castaic in connection with an alleged kidnapping and robbery on May 13, the Culver City Police Department announced.
The victim reported the robbery, which he said occurred in front of a business in the 3800 block of Midway Avenue, near Venice Boulevard, to Culver City police on May 13. The victim told police as he was walking to his vehicle, he was approached by a suspect in a silver SUV, police said.
A passenger in the SUV’s front seat pointed a handgun at the victim and ordered him into the vehicle, the victim told police. The suspects then drove the victim to a bank on Palms Boulevard, where he was allegedly forced to make several withdrawals.
After attempting to obtain additional funds through a loan and from a friend, the suspects drove the victim back to the bank for further ATM withdrawals, totaling $540. According to police, the suspects later released the victim in a nearby residential area and warned him not to contact law enforcement.
Culver City detectives immediately began an investigation, which led to the identification and location of the suspects in the Castaic area.
The Culver City Crime Impact Team found the suspect’s SUV at a local motel and at approximately 11:20 a.m. Thursday, two men matching the suspects descriptions were spotted and detained during a traffic stop at the Newhall Ranch Road off-ramp on the Golden State (5) Freeway, according to police.
Both suspects were in taken into custody, transported to the Culver City Police Department Jail and booked.