CHICAGO — A 33-year-old Chicago woman is facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors say she deceived a man into giving her hundreds of dollars and then attempted to force him out of a vehicle when he asked for his money back.
Gilda Miller was arrested on Dec. 9 and charged with robbery, kidnapping by deceit, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to court records.
Authorities said the incident occurred around 12:45 p.m. on Dec. 2 near the 3800 block of West Kedzie Avenue. Prosecutors allege Miller, who was sitting in the passenger seat of a Jeep, approached the victim as he walked by and asked for money, claiming her 12-year-old daughter urgently needed insulin.
Although the man initially refused, investigators said he agreed to enter the vehicle after Miller promised to take him to a bank and allowed him to photograph the vehicle’s license plate and her driver’s license. The Jeep, driven by another man, went to a nearby PNC Bank, where the victim withdrew $500 from a drive-through ATM and handed the cash to Miller.
Prosecutors said Miller then demanded additional money. When the victim refused and asked for his cash back, the vehicle stopped at a 7-Eleven. Surveillance video allegedly shows Miller and the driver attempting to pull the victim from the back seat while Miller’s daughter struck him in the head.
Police said the vehicle drove off with a rear door still open before stopping again. Miller allegedly returned $120 to the victim and told him that was all she would give back before leaving the area.
The victim later contacted police and provided photos of the license plate and Miller’s identification. Investigators recovered surveillance footage and conducted a photo lineup, during which the victim identified Miller.
Detectives tracked the Jeep using license plate readers and learned it had fled from police in another district days later. Miller was arrested near the 4600 block of North Harding Avenue.
Police said the Jeep Compass was a Hertz rental vehicle that was overdue and rented in Miller’s name. During a post-Miranda interview, prosecutors said Miller admitted lying about her daughter needing insulin to obtain money and acknowledged using the same story in the past. She denied intending to steal the money, claiming she returned it.
