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By Times staff reports
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 1, 2001
Gunman steals car from couple at motel
RIDGE MANOR WEST -- A man pointed a gun at a Virginia couple and stole their car outside a motel Tuesday.
Robert and Susan Ruffini of Talmyra, Va., were unloading their 2000 Toyota outside the Hampton Inn, 30301 Cortez Blvd., when a man came up to them, pulled out a handgun and demanded the car keys, a Hernando County sheriff's report said. At first, Ruffini refused, but the man put the gun to his neck and grabbed the keys from his pocket. The gunman then jumped into the car and drove south through the parking lot and then in an unknown direction, the report said.
The couple were not injured. Authorities have no suspects.
Authorities are warning people about a possible phone scam.
On Monday, Spring Hill resident Tom Rothenberg received a phone call soliciting money for the Springstead High School band. At the time, he thought the call was strange because his wife is the vice president of the school's booster club and he would be aware of fundraisers, a sheriff's report said.
After making a few calls, he confirmed with the band director that no band fundraising events were going on, the report said. Officials ask residents who receive similar calls to notify the Sheriff's Office at 754-6830.