Uber Driver Charged in Hillsborough Armed Robbery and Kidnapping
Christian Kirby Noda, age 21 of Orlando, Florida was arrested for his role in an Hillsborough County armed robbery and kidnapping.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday, October 31, 2017, the victim ordered an Uber ride share service at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino located at 5223 Orient Road, Tampa, Florida.
Christian Kirby Noda, the Uber driver, picked up the 74 year-old woman to drive her back to her Sarasota residence.
Noda told the victim he needed to check the air of his vehicle’s tires and stopped at 3939 N. Hwy 301, in Tampa.
While Noda was attending to his vehicle, a masked black male, approached the vehicle and told the victim, who was seated in the right front passenger seat, to exit the vehicle and get back into the backseat.
The victim, who was in fear of her life, complied and sat in the backseat. The defendant stated “do what he says, he has a gun” and sat in the driver’s seat. The unknown black male ordered the Noda to drive the vehicle to several banks and withdraw money from the victim’s debit card while the unknown black male removed two (2) five hundred dollar poker chips from the victim’s purse.
The unknown male and Noda drove the victim to 12877 E, Hwy 92 in Dover, FL, a Speedway Gas Station, then ordered the victim to exit the vehicle.
The unknown male and the defendant then switched seats and the unknown male drove the vehicle away.
Through further investigation, it was determined the victim’s debit card was used in several location in Polk and Osceola Counties.
Upon interviewing Noda he advised he was not a victim, but planned to rob an Uber passenger and stated he specifically drove to Tampa from Orlando to find a passenger.
He voluntarily advised this plan “was his strategy” and his accomplice was armed with a replica firearm.
Detectives say there is no evidence at this point that the victim was targeted prior to exiting the casino.
Post Miranda he declined to make a statement, but was in possession of the two (2) missing poker chips.
Christian Noda turned himself in to authorities at the Osceola County Jail in Osceola County, Florida.
Anyone with any information reference the unidentified suspect is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity of this suspect and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or send a mobile tip using HCSO’s P3 Tips Mobile application, which is a free download for iPhones, iPads and Droids. You must call Crime Stoppers first to be eligible for a reward.
The investigation continues