SAY WHAT? In Tampa, a repeat trespass offender was spotted on private property from which he had been banned. Upon seeing the police approaching, the man hightailed it around a fence. The cops gave chase, and once around the fence police observed the man with a glass pipe and lighter in his hands. Per the report: "The defendant knew he was caught and said, 'Aawww Shoot!'" before smashing the pipe on the ground. In a separate incident, a man was being questioned under suspicion of simple battery in St. Petersburg. The man's actions, per the police report: "Hit victim in chin with fist." His statement: "I didn't get in any confrontation." Arrests were made in both of these cases.
Finally, a St. Petersburg woman called police when a sterling silver jewelry set and a silver ring were stolen from her during a yard sale. The victim stated, "she knows of the suspect from a previous theft." No arrests were made in this case.
HEAVY THINGS: St. Pete police have received complaints about a rash of theft from construction sites in the new "Ahali Place" development on 59th Avenue S. Most recently, "50 sheets of 4X8 plywood" valued at $1500, and "150 2X4's" valued at $600 have disappeared. The victim advised that this was only the latest theft. Per the report,"1500 cinder blocks were taken a week ago and prior to that a large quantity of sod was taken from the development's entrance area." The victim went on to say that "the amount of material taken would have required a large truck or trailer to carry away." Guess that rules out the neighborhood kids.
BEEN CAUGHT STEALIN': From one extreme to the other, here's this week's petty theft roundup. A St. Petersburg woman was arrested at the Sears on Tyrone for pilfering a watch, one pair of "Hello Kitty" lady's undies and two sets of "Looney Tunes Underwear." Total price of the stolen items: $36. Also in St. Pete, a woman working at a food pantry at a Lutheran church reported her purse stolen. The contents of the bag: $7 and the victim's ID. And in Tampa, a man had his bike stolen out of his yard. Probably not a specialty bike; the man put the bike's value at "$31."
CHARGE IT: Closing out this week with a little credit card fraud, a man reported to St. Pete police that his credit union checking account statement listed $601 in unauthorized charges. The man had "no idea who might be responsible for this fraud." This crime extends out of the St. Pete Police's jurisdiction, however, as the fraudulent purchases were apparently made at "Carries, Hoses & Fittings," located in Texas. Yee ha.
From the files of the T.P.D. & the S.P.P.D.
