STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — In a remarkable stroke of timing, Stuart detectives contacted Port St. Lucie Police on Tuesday to track down a fraud suspect, only to learn officers there already had him in custody for an unrelated crime.
The Stuart Police Department said it began its investigation in December 2025, when Christopher Deneff bought a vehicle from Audi of Stuart using a fraudulent $95,000 check. Stuart Police Department detectives launched an investigation and identified other cases that appeared potentially connected. Their work led to an arrest warrant for Uttering a False Check, later approved by a judge.
When Stuart detectives reached out to Port St. Lucie detectives this week in hopes of locating Deneff, they discovered that PSLPD officers were in the middle of investigating a separate theft—and had already detained him.
MARCH 19, 2026 – Stuart Police say they located fraud suspect Christopher Deneff after contacting Port St. Lucie Police—who, by sheer timing, already had him in custody—following an investigation into a $95,000 false‑check vehicle purchase that prompted the inter‑agency search. (Stuart Police Department){ }
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Stuart police say the case is a clear example of how strong communication between agencies helps close cases more efficiently and hold offenders accountable. They thanked the Port St. Lucie Police Department for its quick coordination and assistance.