ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Another Orange County hotel has been targeted by an armed crook. The Homewood Suites on International Drive near Pointe Orlando on International Drive ( see map ) was held up early Wednesday morning and it's the sixth hotel robbery in the area in one week.
Detectives believe the robberies are connected and they have some very solid leads on who they think are the serial robbers.
Investigators are checking with nearby businesses to see if their cameras captured any images, because the hotel does not have one. Deputies were surprised to discover that the hotel did not have cameras outside the building or inside the lobby. Investigators think it is possible that the crook knew that there were not any cameras and that is why the suspect did not even bother covering his face.
The suspect, officers said, rushed into the Homewood Suites around 4:00am Wednesday, flashed a gun and demanded money from the clerk behind the front desk. No one was injured during the incident.
Most guests at the hotel in the busy tourist corridor were sleeping, but the aftermath woke the Caruso family.
"We wondered why, we seen the spotlight, helicopter machine in the area," Tony Caruso said.
Investigators believe the thief had a getaway car and a driver was waiting in the parking lot.
Detectives said they have a few solid leads and expect a break in the case any day. They say it's a priority, because the crooks may not stop until someone is hurt.
Investigators believe they already robbed the Lexington Suites, LaQuinta Inn, Hampton Inn, Sleep Inn and the Sheraton Safari. Those are all hotels that cater to the more than 40 million tourists visiting the area each year.
In the last six months, there have been one dozen robberies in the tourist area just in Orange County's jurisdiction.
"I'm surprised, very surprised because this is International Drive, very nice area," tourist Diana Boer said.
More than one year ago, the sheriff's office teamed up with Orlando police to help maintain that image. The agencies are using more than one dozen crime cameras along I-Drive to steer criminals away.
"Makes me feel comfortable that they're doing something proactive to try to, you know, keep it from happening, maybe more," Caruso said.
The sheriff's office said that robberies in the tourist corridor it patrols are actually down since the installation of crime cameras. However, crimes against people, like ATM hold-ups and carjackings, are up slightly.
It is not known how much money the suspect stole from the hotel.
Previous Stories: January 11, 2010: Deputies Investigate Rash Of Hotel Robberies
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