ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Surveillance footage captured the harrowing moment a Florida woman fought for her life after a man allegedly tried to kidnap her during a spree of thefts in St. Augustine.
Investigators say 31-year-old Theodore Tundidor stole a pickup truck in Jacksonville on June 29 before driving to St. John’s County. There, he is accused of stealing items from a Walmart and then taking $270 worth of cigarettes and vapes from a nearby smoke shop.
When a clerk tried to block Tundidor from leaving the smoke shop, he grabbed her by the neck and shoulder and forced her outside. In broad daylight, he attempted to force her into the stolen truck while she screamed for help.
Witness Kelly Eason saw the attack and immediately called 911. “He grabbed her again and tried to get her back in the truck, and I believe because she wouldn’t quit fighting, and I was there screaming as well, that he got scared off,” Eason said. She helped the victim to safety inside a nearby Subway restaurant until police arrived.
Crime analyst Tom Hackney praised the victim’s resistance, saying her fight and loud cries likely saved her life by drawing attention and prompting a 911 call.
Tundidor was later stopped by police and arrested. He now faces multiple charges, including robbery, battery, and eluding law enforcement.
