MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach police arrested a man Thursday who they said attacked a 68-year-old woman the day before.
Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said Martin Alexander Bodden II, 23, who is currently homeless, was taken into custody Thursday morning on the boardwalk near 41st Street.
He said Bodden confessed to the crime, and detectives also linked him to a strong-arm robbery at a Walgreens store that occurred minutes before the attack.
The incident involving the woman occurred around 9 a.m. Wednesday inside the elevator of a condominium building at 4747 Collins Ave. after the victim had just returned home from a morning jog.
"As she entered her building a male subject followed shortly after," Rodriguez said. "He entered the elevator with the victim and then began attacking her. He made attempts to raise her skirt and shirt while the victim fought him off."
Rodriguez said the elevator doors opened to the fourth floor during the attack, allowing the victim to escape. The man stayed in the elevator.
"He is seen in surveillance video exiting onto the third floor where he is walking in the hallway," Rodriguez said. "He begins to wipe the elevator button with his shirt and then proceeds to conceal his face with a secondary shirt he had around his neck."
Surveillance video shows the man walking out of the elevator on the first floor and running out through the front door.
"Thankfully she was not injured; however, we don't know if the next victim would be so lucky," Rodriguez said.
According to an arrest report, Bodden had snatched an iPhone from the back pocket of a woman's pants while she was waiting in line to pay for items at the Walgreens at 4049 Pine Tree Drive.
The woman tried chasing after Bodden, but he got away, eventually targeting the second woman at the condominium building, authorities said.
Just over 24 hours later, police were spotted taking Bodden into custody.
"We are extremely proud of our officers and detectives who were able to locate this dangerous man within a day of committing these crimes," Rodriguez said Thursday in an email.
Bodden faces charges of burglary with battery and strong-arm robbery.
He appeared in court Friday and was ordered held without bond.
It was learned in court that Bodden had been placed on probation just two days before his arrest for another crime.