Kidnapping outside Toledo victim zone retailer

A "regular customer" of a Sterling Food Store in Toledo picked up more than a gallon of milk on his last visit - he kidnapped a woman in the parking lot.

The Toledo Blade is reporting that a Lenawee County (MI) man was arrested at his home Monday after police said he abducted and fondled a West Toledo woman.

Jose Cardenas, 52, of Madison Township is charged with abduction and gross sexual imposition by Toledo police, who told the Blade he grabbed a 29-year-old woman and fondled her inside his pickup in the 1400 block of West Alexis Road.

According to the story, the victim was walking in the 1400 block of West Alexis about noon Monday when Mr. Cardenas got out of his truck and grabbed her in front of a Sterling store at 1444 West Alexis.

Police told the newspaper Mr. Cardenas put her into his truck and fondled her. She grabbed his hand and held it until he stopped the pickup a short distance away at Alexis and Douglas Road. The victim jumped out of the truck, went to her boyfriend's nearby workplace, and reported the crime. She was not hurt, Detective Mosley said.

Police identified Mr. Cardenas through a credit card purchase he made at the store, where he is a regular customer. He also was caught on videotape at the business, Detective Mosley told the Blade.

Madison Township (MI) police Sgt. Jim Cates said Mr. Cardenas was arrested by township police after reports from township residents that they saw his picture on television.

The store at which this woman was kidnapped is part of a chain - Sterling Food Stores - that has posted signs rendering customers defenseless. For a list of this and other dangerous locations, visit OFCC's Do Not Patronize While Armed database.