A carjacking suspect has been caught after returning the victim’s car and sending her a "friend request" via social media.
Phoenix police report that on Monday they arrested 24-year-old Angelo Depri Austin for armed robbery and kidnapping.
The victim told police that she stopped her car in the area of 51st Street and McDowell Road around 11:30 p.m., to adjust some bags in her car when someone broke out a window above her back door.
The suspect and his partner forced the woman into the back seat, robbed her and reportedly drove her to various convenience stores, forcing her at gunpoint to purchase drinks and $400 worth of gift cards.
During the ordeal, the driver, later identified as Austin, told the victim that he was from the Chicago area. A few hours later they returned the victim to the place of the carjacking and instructed her to return about 4 a.m., and she would find her car there with the keys inside. The woman returned as requested and did indeed locate the Corolla, and the keys as the carjackers promised.
Police say two days later the victim received a "friend request" via Instagram from a 'Lo Austin.' The woman told police the photo attached to the friend request was one of the men who carjacked her.
Police say Austin's profile showed him being from Illinois and his picture matched those they got from surveillance photos taken from the convenience stores. He was even wearing the same shirt.
Police located and arrested Austin, who also has an arrest warrant from Georgia, on September 25.
