IRONDALE, AL (WBRC) -
Irondale Police have arrested a suspect in a home invasion and rape.
Police located 35-year-old Chico Rodriquez Allen in Center Point early Monday evening.
They say he robbed and raped an Irondale resident early Monday morning. Three warrants have been obtained aginst Allen including first degree rape, first degree robbery and first degree kidnapping.
Sgt. Jason Hill says around 6:45 a.m. Monday, Aug. 20 the woman was sitting on her porch in the 1500 block of Montevallo Road. Allen and another man drove up in a vehicle. Allen approached the woman and forced her inside her home at gunpoint.
Police say Allen stole her iPad, possibly other property and then raped her. He left shortly after. Police traced the stolen iPad to the Grayson Valley area, but say the suspect had sold the iPad to another man.
Information from the victim and the man that bought the iPad led police to Allen.
Sgt. Hill tells FOX6 News the suspect may have targeted his victim because they were Facebook friends. Police have determined that Allen and the victim were not direct friends but had mutual friends on Facebook.
"That's why it's really important for people...currently using social media to really adjust and use those privacy settings. If you don't have your privacy settings set then you don't know who's seeing your profile and watching your activity," Sgt. Hill said.
Police say the victim is recovering at a local hospital.
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Chico R. Allen in police custody Monday evening. Source: WBRC video
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