The Tampa Police Department is searching for three suspects, a male and two females, who are connected to three separate theft cases at local grocery stores.
The first of three incidents took place at the Publix located at 4900 W Kennedy Boulevard just before 1 p.m. on March 11, 2023. The elderly victim placed her purse in her shopping cart and after briefly stepping away to grab an item off the shelf, the male suspect takes the victim’s wallet out of her purse. He and one of the female suspects walk away and blend in with the rest of the patrons to appear as if they are shopping together with another cart in tow.
A short time later, at approximately 2:40 p.m., in another incident at the Publix located at 1313 S Dale Mabry Highway, the same black male subject reached into the elderly victim’s purse located in the shopping cart and took her wallet in the same manner as the earlier incident. The duo stole from two victims at this location. Stolen cards were later used in various stories at the nearby International Plaza by another black female suspect connected to the previously mentioned two suspects.
“Theft is a crime of opportunity. Let these unfortunate incidents be a reminder to everyone to always keep a close eye on your valuables,” said Interim Chief Lee Bercaw. “Be aware of your surroundings and never leave anything of value unattended.”
Anyone with information related to these incidents is asked to contact Tampa PD by calling (813) 231-6130 or share a tip via Tip411, which is accessible through the TampaPD app.
Those who wish to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward can contact Crimestoppers of Tampa Bay by calling 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), visiting www.CrimeStoppersTB.com, or using the free Crime Stoppers mobile app and selecting "Tampa.”