Cops Corner: East County 9.9.2015

Sept. 1

ONECO WALMART
2900 block of 53rd Avenue E
Petit theft: A man entered Walmart and went to the health and wellness section. A store loss prevention agent at the store watched him open a box of Crest 3D teeth whitening strips and put the strips in his pocket. He continued shopping for other items which he purchased at the self-checkout line. The agent stopped him and retrieved the whitening strips, which were valued at $49.97. He was given a notice to appear in court.

Sept. 2

ONECO WALMART
2900 block of 53rd Avenue East
Retail theft: A woman went into Walmart and perused some card games. She selected multiple packets of Pokemon cards before going to the clothing department, where she hid the cards in her purse. She then returned to the aisle with the card games, selected more packs, and put those in her purse, too. She also continued to shop for other items, which she then paid for at the self-checkout counter. She was stopped by Loss Prevention while trying to exit the store, and Walmart recovered the Pokemon cards packs, valued at $75.24. The Sheriff’s Office was called, and the woman was placed under arrest.

Sept. 2

63RD AVENUE EAST
1900 block of 63rd Avenue
Theft: A customer told the owner of LKQ Pick Your Part, a salvage yard in Bradenton, that three people were tossing items over the east side of the fence around the lot. The owner investigated and saw a younger man reaching to get an object from the top of the fence. When she yelled at the three people, they ran away without the items, which were two speakers and a steering wheel cover, valued at $22. According to the deputy’s report, “as the business is a scrap yard, it will be impossible to determine what, if anything, is missing.” However, the business requires all customers to sign in with a name and birth date before enter the salvage yard, and the suspects signed the log book. The LKQ owner was able to see the vehicle’s tag on the truck they fled in, and the Sheriff’s Office was able to get their names from the log book and match it to the tag.

Sept. 3

UNIVERSITY PARKWAY
7600 Block of Eagle Creek Drive
Criminal mischief misdemeanor, $200 and under: Deputy arrived at the location for a possible burglary. A man had been contacted by a neighbor who noticed the man’s driver-side car window had been broken. The neighbor told him it wasn’t broken before 3 p.m. The window will cost $150 to replace.

FORT HAMER
2300 block of 126th Dr. E
Domestic disturbance: A husband and wife are getting divorced, and are having ongoing arguments over their vehicles. The wife placed a steering wheel lock on the SUV, which the husband had planned to drive that day. The wife decided that she was going to use the SUV. Her husband told her he would be cutting off the lock. The deputy who responded to the scene did not observe any physical violence, and gave the almost-divorced couple domestic packets.