WHAT A WASTE: Two officers on patrol as part of T.P.D.'s "RAT pack operations" to crack down on auto theft observed two men driving a Ford truck that had been reported stolen from the parking lot of Westshore Mall. The officers called for backup and stealthily trailed the Ford, its occupants unaware that they were being followed. When the stolen truck stopped at the corner of 15th Street and 24th Avenue E., a backup officer "put the front bumper of his truck against the front of the stolen Ford in an attempt to box in the vehicle and prevent a pursuit." Unfortunately, this maneuver did not work, and the suspect was able to push the police vehicle out of the way and make a break for it. In the melee of the escape, the officers lost sight of the stolen vehicle. A short time later, however, an officer at the intersection of N. Nebraska Avenue and E. MLK Boulevard observed "the stolen vehicle crash into a waste management truck at Taliafero Street." The two suspects leapt from the stolen truck and attempted to run away but were quickly apprehended. Both suspects turned out to be juveniles, one of whom had been released from jail a whopping six hours earlier. The report is unclear about the kid's intentions, but it lists the duo as being in possession of "a brick, a baseball bat and a screwdriver."
TEENAGE CRIME WAVE: Speaking of young punks, some 18-20 year olds in a 1997 dark green Chrysler hit upon an idea to make some quick cash. At 4:45 p.m. on July 18, the two suspects in question approached a man walking on E. Busch Boulevard in Tampa and robbed him. Their method was simple: One of the men held the victim's arms while the other went through his pockets. The suspects then jumped in their car and fled with the contents of the victim's pockets. The first score must not have been enough, however, as the same men in the same Chrysler attempted the same type of robbery a few hours later, this time at 47th Street N. The victim in this case was lucky (so to speak), as his pockets were empty and the kids let him go and fled the scene.
MISCELLANEOUS: One more young man ruining his life. The 19-year-old suspect in this case was caught in the act of burglarizing a home on 11th Street in Tampa. Officers arrived on the scene to find the suspect "exiting the rear door carrying miscellaneous property." What exactly? Oh, the usual: "an iron," "an electric shaver" and "boxing gloves."
From the files of the T.P.D.
This article appears in Aug 2-8, 2006.