TAMPA, Fla. – Three Tampa men have been arrested in connection with a rooftop burglary at the Treasure Coast Mall in Martin County, bringing an end to what authorities believe is a $1M organized shoe theft ring that spans multiple states.
The backstory:
Detectives said the suspects cut their way through the concrete roof of the mall, dropping into the Champs Sporting Goods store and stealing hundreds of pairs of Nike shoes. The stolen merchandise was bagged, tagged, thrown off the roof, and loaded into a getaway vehicle.
Courtesy: Martin County Sheriff’s Office
Shortly after the October crime was discovered, the sheriff’s office’s Criminal Investigations Division identified the group and began tracking their movements.
READ: Missing Florida teen shot to death, lit on fire by friends from school: Sheriff
Detectives conducted surveillance as the suspects attempted additional crimes, ultimately gathering evidence linking them to as many as a dozen rooftop burglaries across Florida and into Georgia.
Courtesy: Martin County Sheriff’s Office
This week, Tampa men Herbert L. Davis III, Michael McCray, and Tyrone Howard were charged in the heist.
What they’re saying:
In a post on social media, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office wrote, “This case highlights the incredible work and expertise of our CID detectives—work that not only solved a major burglary in our own community, but also prevented additional crimes throughout the region.”
The Source: This article was written with information posted on social media by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.