Year-And-A-Half After Crime Spree, Suspect Charged With 6 Counts Of Armed Robbery: Sheriff

BRADENTON, FL — After nearly a year and a half of investigation, detectives have charged Chike Opene, 26, with six armed robberies throughout the Bradenton area.

The crimes date back to Nov. 8, 2020, when shortly after midnight deputies responded to an armed robbery at 2803 38th Ave. E. in Bradenton. A victim was walking home from Walmart on 27th Street E. when a man in a hoodie approached him with a gun and forcibly grabbed the his cell phone and wallet before driving away in a black car, according to a news release from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

The next evening, around 11:30 p.m., two victims had just cashed a check at Amscot and returned to Mira Lagos Apartments in Bradenton when they noticed a black car following them. As they walked to their apartment, they heard a car door close and the suspect said, “Stop running and give me your money.”

The victims complied and the suspect drove away from the scene with more than $6,000 in cash, MCSO said.

Around 9:45 p.m. on Nov. 26, 2020, a victim affiliated with several K&S convenience store was in his van outside a store when a suspect armed with a gun approached him on foot. The victim handed over a bank bag with more than $3,000, his wallet, several credit cards, several hundred dollars in cash and his iPhone 11.

After locating surveillance video footage of the Nov. 26 robbery, they identified Opene. The video showed him approaching the victim’s van and robbing him at gunpoint before driving from the area in a black car, the sheriff’s office said.

On Dec. 19, 2020, victims had a wallet and purse stolen at gunpoint by a suspect fitting the same description of Opene. This suspect also drove away in a black car.

Two armed robberies, where victims were approached by an armed suspect who demanded their cash and cell phones, also took place in early January of 2021, MCSO said.

Surveillance video footage and cell phone evidence linked Opene to all six armed robberies, the sheriff’s office said. He was arrested and charged on Monday.

He is also a suspect in at least one other armed robbery and more charges are expected.