MELBOURNE, Fla. — Two Vero Beach men were arrested in connection with a Verizon Store robbery on North Wickham Road in Melbourne.
Jose Abreu and Alif Rodriguez faced a judge Thursday afternoon after police said the men tied up an employee, robbed the store and fled the scene.
In the call to dispatchers, some can be heard saying they were just robbed at gunpoint by two Hispanic males.
Police said one employee was tied up and the others forced to the back of the store and were told to open a safe. One employee was told to fill a pillow case with cellphones.
The suspects led police on a chase, but they were caught on U.S. 192 near the Brevard County and Osceola County lines after a pit maneuver was performed. %
Police said a witness saw a silver vehicle flee the scene.
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Watch: Video of the police chase
“Once we had sufficient units in place due to the rural area and no uninvolved people, we decided the best way to end the pursuit would be to use a pit maneuver,” Sgt. Trevor Shaffer of the Melbourne Police Department said.
Shaffer performed the maneuver and has taught about half of his department the same technique. He said not much force is needed, just a nudge in the right direction.
“Obviously circumstances dictate as to what you're doing. It's just another way for us to end the situation prior to tangling up innocent people,” Shaffer said.
Both men are being held without bond.