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Guard robbed by kidnapper

An apartment guard says he was forced to drive to several ATMs and withdraw cash.

By LETITIA STEIN
Published December 12, 2005

TAMPA - Mariner's Cove apartments security guard Goran Santrac was working inside the guardhouse early Sunday when a man walked up and kidnapped him, authorities say.

Santrac, 27, told sheriff's deputies that about 5:15 a.m., the stranger with a military-type knife forced him to drive his own car around to several ATMs, withdrawing money. In 36 minutes, he pulled more than $500 out of five ATMs, officials said.

When the kidnapper got out of the car, Santrac drove off and called authorities from the AmeriSuites hotel on Princess Palm Avenue. That's about a mile from the apartment complex on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Sabal Corporate Park.

"He's very fortunate that he was not injured," said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. "Any time that someone's armed and they force you to drive away from a scene, it's very dangerous."

Santrac, who works for International Security Management Group, was not injured. He could not be reached Sunday afternoon.

Mariner's Cove resident Lizbet Hamilton, 31, hadn't heard Sunday about the early-morning kidnapping. But her family already felt insecure at the complex, where they are in their third one-year lease.

"We've just had so many problems here," she said.

She said her car was stolen and someone had broken into her screened porch and took bicycles.

On Sunday afternoon, Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies were looking for a black man, age 20 to 28, and about 5-foot-7. The suspect wore a dark blue, hooded sweat shirt. Anyone with information was asked to call 247-8200.

[Last modified December 12, 2005, 04:06:42]