Florida man accused in St. Pete yacht burglaries may have snuck into Vinoy hotel room after stealing wine

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A Florida transient accused of breaking into several yachts in downtown St. Petersburg is also suspected of stealing several bottles of wine from a sundry store at the Vinoy Renaissance Hotel and possibly staying unregistered in one of its rooms.

According to an arrest affidavit, surveillance video showed someone stealing three bottles of wine worth $175 from the Vinoy and possibly sneaking into a hotel room on Jan. 22. 

Police say security officers at the hotel spotted the suspect, later identified as Russell Wriker, back at the hotel on Jan. 27 and trespassed him at the request of the Vinoy. 

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That same day, Wriker is accused of entering several yachts in St. Petersburg. 

Russell Wriker mugshot courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. 

Records state that he is seen in surveillance video climbing aboard the ‘Debbie Lou’, a live on board yacht docked along 5th Avenue. 

According to police, Wriker snuck on the boat through an unlocked door and went undetected because the captain and crew were in the staff quarters. 

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Investigators say Wriker admitted to sleeping, eating food and taking cigars while on the boat. They added that Wriker also confessed to taking wine from the Vinoy and being the person seen in hotel surveillance video. 

Wriker has been charged with burglar and petit theft.