2 accused of kidnapping and forcing woman, 70, to withdraw $25K from bank
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Two people are in custody after allegedly abducting a 70-year-old Delano woman and forcing her to withdraw $25,000 dollars from her savings account, according to Delano police.
Delano police responded May 9 to the Bank of the Sierra at 1126 Main St. to reports of a woman who had been kidnapped and robbed.
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They learned Christian Rojas Chauta, 30, and Claudia Castellanos Toqueca, 47, Colombian nationals from Stockton, forced their way into the victim’s home in Delano just after 10 a.m.
Chauta and Castellanos abducted the woman and forced her into a white Honda Pilot, police said. The pair drove her to the Bank of the Sierra and demanded she withdraw all the money in her account, officials said.
The suspects allegedly threatened to come back to the victim’s home and hurt her if she didn’t follow their directions. Out of fear for her safety, the victim withdrew $25,000 from her life savings and gave it to them, according to police.
The suspects also took $350 from the victim’s purse before abandoning the her in an unknown location, police said. The victim returned to the bank and called authorities.
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With the help of Flock license plate readers, police located the license plate for the Honda Pilot. On May 17, deputies with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department stopped the vehicle in Modesto.
Chauta and Toqueca were arrested on suspicion of several felonies which include robbery, burglary, kidnapping, elder abuse, conspiracy and criminal threats.
Anyone with information is asked to call Delano police at 661-721-3377.
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