A Scottsdale woman was kidnapped from her garage yesterday and driven to a bank, where she was told by her kidnapper to empty her account or he'd harm her and her mother. A bank teller tipped off the cops, who came and arrested their suspect -- 40-year-old Thanh Andrew Harlan.
Scottsdale Officer Dave Pubins tells New Times the woman said she didn't know who had kidnapped her, who was wearing gloves and a ski mask.
It turns out the woman had dated Harlan for four years.
The woman later told police she was inside her garage about to get into her car when she was knocked over and had her keys taken.
She said she was then forced at gunpoint into the passenger seat of her car, as the unknown kidnapper drove her to the bank, giving her instructions on how to take the cash out of her account.
Even after threats of harm against her and her mother, the woman said she went inside the Bank of America on Scottsdale Road and immediately let them know what was happening.
Pubins says the teller called 9-1-1, and informed police that the kidnapper was sitting across the street in the woman's Jeep, but was "unable to describe the suspect" due to his disguise.
Scottsdale detectives, sure enough, found Harlan sitting in the Jeep across the street, with a gun, gloves, ski mask, and his ex-girlfriend's cell phone, according to police.
Harlan was arrested, but Pubins says the woman told investigators she didn't know that she'd just spent approximately the last two hours with the man she dated for four years.
Regardless, she escaped without injury, as her ex-boyfriend was booked on charges of kidnapping, armed robbery, extortion, burglary, unlawful use of transportation, and theft.
