Gary Rojas, Courtesy Palm Beach County Jail.
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — UPDATE FROM BOCA PD @ 9:55a — Investigators from the Boca Raton Police Services Department arrested a suspect in connection with an armed robbery that happened early Monday, June 20, 2016. The victim told detectives the suspect contacted her by phone through an advertisement she had on the website backpage.com. The victim met the suspect outside and told him she had a room for rent. The suspect said he was interested and asked to see it. While outside the victim noticed the suspect arrived in a silver Volkswagen Beetle.
While looking at the room, the suspect pulled out a gun and repeatedly told the victim he wanted to kill her and demanded money. The victim said she would give him money but she would have to drive to the ATM to get it. The suspect drove the victim’s car to the TD Bank on West Palmetto Park Road and withdrew $700. While in the car, the suspect told the victim he wanted to rent a room at a hotel and have her lure men there so he could rob them.
A similar incident happened at the Boca Inn Tuesday morning when two victims arranged to meet the suspect also through backpage.com. The suspect arrived and once inside the victim’s room, pointed a gun and demanded money. The victims did not have any money and the suspect eventually left in a silver Volkswagen Beetle.
A tipster saw images posted on Twitter by Boca Raton Police and recognized the suspect. Through that tip, detectives were able to identify the suspect as Gary Rojas. It was also determined that the suspect has access to a silver Volkswagen Beetle registered to a family member in Boynton Beach. Rojas was arrested Wednesday evening without incident and the gun was recovered which turned out to be a BB gun. Rojas admitted to investigators that he robbed the woman Monday morning and also said he was responsible for the second robbery Tuesday morning.
Currently Rojas is being charged with Armed Robbery with a Firearm, Kidnapping with a Firearm and Sexual Battery with a Firearm. More charges are expected in connection with the second incident.
Our earlier report:
We’ll be seeking the official arrest report later today, but the charges filed against Boca’s Gary Rojas speak volumes.
Rojas, 18, is charged with kidnap, robbery and “sex assault with a weapon or forced sexual battery on a victim 12 years of age or older.”
Rojas is being held in the Palm Beach County Jail — bond has not been set.
