HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Deputies are looking for three men they say raped two women repeatedly after abducting them from an Apollo Beach restaurant over the weekend.
According to the report, the two women were closing the restaurant, where they worked, early Saturday morning, when one of the women was confronted by the three men at gunpoint. They robbed the woman, and then forced her back into the restaurant, which they then robbed.
Deputies said the suspects then forced the women into one of the victims' vehicles early Saturday morning and drove to a remote location off Dickman Drive, near the TECO plant in HIllsborough County. All three men then sexually assaulted both women.
The two women were found near mile marker 234 on I-75 Saturday morning.
Deputies said the men tried to withdraw cash from an ATM with one of the victims' bank cards. The bank's surveillance camera captured an image of one of the men. They also drove to a local Chevron station, where they tried to make a purchase.
After that stop, deputies said the three suspects assaulted one of the victims again.
About four hours after the initial abduction, the women were left along Interstate 75, near mile marker 234 in Manatee County. The vehicle was found abandoned later that morning. It had been set on fire.
The two women were treated for their injuries and released.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office report described the three suspects as Hispanic men in their 20s. One suspect is between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-8, weighs between 160 and 180 pounds, and has a medium build. He has black hair, a light mustache and a beard of stubble. He was last seen wearing a blue plaid shirt, blue baseball cap and work gloves.
The second is of unknown height and weight, but he has a medium build. He was wearing dark clothing and a yellow hat.
The third suspect is also of unknown height and weight and also has a thin build. He was wearing light-colored clothing.
All three suspects were armed with handguns.
Anyone with any information reference the suspects are asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.
A $1,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can provide Crime Stoppers with information about the identities and whereabouts of the suspects.