Two tourists abducted, robbed after leaving Downtown Disney

[MickeyCrazed]

I didn't see this posted yet....


Couple taken at gunpoint, was left near Osceola landfill after struggle.

Etan Horowitz and Erika Hobbs
Sentinel Staff Writers

June 10, 2007

Two Connecticut tourists were abducted and robbed at gunpoint shortly after midnight Sunday morning after a Downtown Disney shopping trip.

According to the Orange County Sheriffs Office, a man in a black Volkswagen Jetta called out a question to the couple, who were staying at a Disney resort, as they walked through the parking lot at the entertainment-and-shopping hotspot.

When they stopped to answer, the couple, Justin Stetzer, 20, and Jessica Dellacamera, 20, both of Branford, Conn., were forced into the car at gunpoint.

Deputies said that three men inside the Jetta drove the tourists to a gas station and forced Stetzer to withdraw money from an ATM. After stopping at an unknown location, the men took the couple to a remote location near an Osceola County landfill.

They forced the couple out of the car and beat them, striking Stetzer in the head with a handgun. But the two fought back against their attackers, and in the scuffle, the gun discharged.

That scared the men, who panicked and fled.

According to deputies, Stetzer and Della camera walked to nearby Kissimmee home and called the police. They were not seriously injured.

The men were able to leave with both the cash and the purchases the couple left behind.

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez declined to say which resort the pair was staying at or how much longer they would remain in Florida. She said that Disney officials were working with the two "to take care of their immediate needs."

 

[Uncleromulus]

One of the reasons why we've not been in that entire area after dark (not to mention at midnight) in many years. Never really feel comfortable there.
Perhaps some more VISABLE security measures might be taken??
There's an on-going thread about this incident on the Attractions Board.

 

[rodkenrich]

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[schmitty]

One of the reasons why we've not been in that entire area after dark (not to mention at midnight) in many years. Never really feel comfortable there.
Perhaps some more VISABLE security measures might be taken??
There's an on-going thread about this incident on the Attractions Board.

I agree. I can't stand Downton Disney, especially at night. They do have alot of security going around in the parking lot but with this incident it all probably happened in like 30 seconds.

 

[Jason71]

Perhaps some more VISABLE security measures might be taken??

Realistically, I don't know how you could do this. There are already at least a half dozen marked patrol cars and countless security guards and uniformed deputies out even on the slow nights. And security towers in each parking lot. And patrol cars discreetly parked along Hotel Plaza Blvd. as well.

 

[YoHo]

Realistically, I don't know how you could do this. There are already at least a half dozen marked patrol cars and countless security guards and uniformed deputies out even on the slow nights. And security towers in each parking lot. And patrol cars discreetly parked along Hotel Plaza Blvd. as well.

Well, Disney doesn't actually have all that much security personnel. At least compared to the past.

Remember back when Disney had enough security that you actually could feel like you were leaving the real world behind?

I mean it could never be perfect, but it certainly used to be better.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

As I posted elsewhere, I'm skeptical about this whole robbery story. I was at DD with my DW on Saturday night and like other nights, there were OCSO deputies all over the place as well as Disney Security on foot and on bicycle. If you were going to pull a robbery/kidnapping this is not the place you'd pick out to do it. Sure it could have happened as reported; I'm just a bit skeptical.

BobK/Orlando

 

[crazy4wdw]

Investigators compare notes in abduction from Downtown Disney lot

The 20-year-olds, who are visiting from Connecticut, were not seriously injured.

Etan Horowitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 11, 2007

Sheriff's investigators from Orange and Osceola counties this afternoon continue to compare notes in the abduction and robbery of two Connecticut tourists.

Jim Solomons, an Orange County sheriff's spokesman, said there is no information as to the suspects' identities, but the two law-enforcement agencies are working together.

"We are scouring for leads," Solomons said.

Justin Stetzer and Jessica DellaCamera, both 20, were finishing up the first day of their Walt Disney World vacation just after midnight Sunday when a man in a black car called out to them.

Thinking they were just answering an innocuous question, the couple walked over to the car in the Downtown Disney parking lot. That is when their vacation turned violent.

At gunpoint, the two were forced inside the Volkswagen Jetta, driven around and then Stetzer was ordered to withdraw money from an automated-teller machine.

After about an hour, the three suspects took Stetzer and DellaCamera to a remote location near an Osceola County landfill, forced them out of the car and beat them.

The couple fought back and the gun discharged during the scuffle, scaring the suspects, who panicked and fled.

"They just thought they were at the end of the road," Solomons said of the victims.

Stetzer and DellaCamera, both of North Branford, Conn., walked to a nearby Kissimmee home and called the Osceola County sheriff's office. They suffered cuts and bruises but were not seriously injured.

Sunday's incident is the latest in several recent attacks in the tourist area.

On May 30, two Orange County deputies were shot when they interrupted a car burglary in progress at the Caribe Royale Resort on World Center Drive.

On May 14, two armed robbers attacked a German couple staying at a Howard Johnson's motel on International Drive. The robbers forced the man onto the floor and threw a blanket over his head. One of them raped the woman and beat her face and head with a weapon after ordering her to empty the room safe.

That same night, a man staying in an extended-stay hotel on Major Boulevard near Universal Orlando, was robbed by two men who matched the description of the Howard Johnson attackers.

Police are still searching for the suspects in Sunday's attack.

The men left with both the cash and the purchases the couple left behind. Solomons would not disclose the value of the money and items that were stolen.

Stetzer and DellaCamera arrived in Central Florida on Saturday and were traveling with DellaCamera's parents. They were finishing a shopping trip at Downtown Disney when the incident occurred.

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez would not say which resort the pair was staying at or how much longer they would remain in Florida. She said Disney officials were working with the two "to take care of their immediate needs."

Shoppers at Downtown Disney on Sunday afternoon were not surprised to hear about the abduction.

"Nowadays, I think it could happen anywhere," said Kathy Gallardo of Tampa, standing outside Planet Hollywood.

Pedro Ruz Gutierrez, Erika Hobbs and Henry Pierson Curtis of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Etan Horowitz can be reached at ehorowitz@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5447.

 

[schmitty]

As I posted elsewhere, I'm skeptical about this whole robbery story. I was at DD with my DW on Saturday night and like other nights, there were OCSO deputies all over the place as well as Disney Security on foot and on bicycle. If you were going to pull a robbery/kidnapping this is not the place you'd pick out to do it. Sure it could have happened as reported; I'm just a bit skeptical.

BobK/Orlando

From the time they walked to the car to the time they got into the car could have been as little as 15 seconds. Its very easy for something like this to happen.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

WFTV Channel 9 is reporting that the 20-year old abducted guy is a known drug addict back in Connecticut, per local police in his city. See the www.wftv.com website as this is breaking news.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Buzz2001]

CT news is reporting that the authorities are looking into it because they do not think it really happened. After more digging, they think that the story is not 100% accurate.

 

[Mermaid2sea]

CT news is reporting that the authorities are looking into it because they do not think it really happened. After more digging, they think that the story is not 100% accurate.

How can people make up such things??

 

[MICKEEP]

One scenario might be that they were trying to buy drugs and just got ripped-off. They made up the story of the abduction to cover what they were really doing.

 

[Another Voice]

So either Downtown Disney is a place you can be kidnapped or it's now the local drug shopping mall.

Either way it doesn't sound like Disney can't keep their guests safe.

 

[Monte Cristo]

CT Policeman makes mistake regarding CT man??

http://www.wftv.com/news/13481690/detail.html

 

[jimh13432]

So either Downtown Disney is a place you can be kidnapped or it's now the local drug shopping mall.

Either way it doesn't sound like Disney can't keep their guests safe.

can I ask why it's Disney's job to keep you safe?

I don't get it. EVERY small, medium, and large city in the US has carjackings and robberies reported on a daily basis. Just because it happens at Disney, its their fault??

I think you're incredibly naive to assume that Disney has the ability to protect you when you're there.

If you were to drown at the beach, would it be the life guard's fault that you died or would it possibly be because you were a poor swimmer?

 

[tazdeb]

I once saw a documentery on the "Travelers," a group of gypsy like con artists. One of there scams was to rent a room a Disney, have someone beat the you know what out of one of the women who would then say she was assaulted on property. She would then sue Disney who would settle out of court for a few thousand dollars. Could this be something like that?

 

[G8RFAN]

can I ask why it's Disney's job to keep you safe?

I don't get it. EVERY small, medium, and large city in the US has carjackings and robberies reported on a daily basis. Just because it happens at Disney, its their fault??

I think you're incredibly naive to assume that Disney has the ability to protect you when you're there.

If you were to drown at the beach, would it be the life guard's fault that you died or would it possibly be because you were a poor swimmer?

The Simon Malls recently paid a multi-million award for a robbery occuring on one of their mall properties. If I remember correctly, the victim sued saying that she could no longer run her practice due to physical and emotional injuries, but there is an implied level of security provided for their patrons which was proven was not adequate based on past muggings resulting in the award. I think it can easily be proven that Disney has an implied responsibility for security on its properties just by the mere fact that they have a complex security network for WDW. Whether they were negligent is what needs to be asked. Most public beaches will post the risk level for swimming whether there is a life guard attending or not. I have no doubt they do this based on legal counsel recommendations.

 

[YoHo]

You are on Disney's property and therefore Disney has an obligation for your safety. If your safety wasn't Disney's responsibility, then they wouldn't have those security guards at all.
Further, there are rumors of staff reductions, or rather insufficent increases in staffing. DTD is Disney's creation and they are the ones responsible for it becoming a larger target for criminal activity with the extent and design of the buildout. Therefore, they are obligated to address security to maintain the standard they have set.

And from a purely Disney perspective, WDW is sold as being cut off from the everyday world where dreams come true, Magic and all that.
I don't know about you, but none of the dreams I want to come true involve being mugged in front of a chain resturant.


Can Disney prevent all crime? No, Has Disney done better at this in the past? Most assuredly. Is it part of the implied contract that Disney provide such a level of security, most emphatically yes.

 

[jimh13432]

There is a ton of security at WDW. You probably only ever see a small percentage of it. Why do you think its so rare when incidents like this "do" happen.

Bad things happen, even in good places! Bad people come into good places too. It doesn't make the place bad, only the people who come into it to do harm.

WDW even have gone so far as to put mobile towers in the parking areas of Downtown Disney to keep an eye on things. WDW is probably one of the safest places in the world.

If you don't feel safe at WDW, please do yourself a favor and don't come.

Just please don't say that WDW can't keep its guest safe or has turned into a local drug shoppingf mall like the other poster did. The guests also have a responsibility to be aware of their surroundings.