St. Pete detectives search for person of interest in $18k antique theft

Police search for thief who hid in antique shop

St. Pete police need help finding a man who they said stole nearly $18,000 worth of items from a family owned antique shop.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Detectives with the St. Petersburg Police Department are searching for a person of interest who may know the man accused of stealing items from an antique store.

SPPD search for person of interst in antique theft

St. Pete Police are searching for a person of interest who they say may know a man accused of stealing $18k worth of items from an antique store in November.

According to SPPD, on November 11, a man hid inside Andrea and Friends Antique Mall, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North, until it closed, and once it did, he crawled through the business and took several valuable items.

READ: Antique thief hides in St. Petersburg store, takes $18,000 worth of items: Police

Police said those items included sterling silver serving pieces and vintage fountain pens with an estimated value of about $18,000.

St. Pete Police are searching for this person of interest in connection to an antique theft (Photo Courtesy: St. Pete Police Department)

The person of interest police are now searching for is an Asian man, who was last seen wearing a black polo shirt, gray pants, and gray shoes. He arrived in a maroon Honda Accord.

READ: Search underway for St. Pete antique thief seen crawling around store, stealing $18K worth of items

SPPD initially described the antique thief as an older white man, about 6 feet tall, with a heavy build, bow-legged, and walking with a distinct waddle. Detectives said he may be involved in other local burglaries.