Suspect arrested for stealing more than $20K worth of gold bars in Tampa: Deputies
TAMPA, Fla. - A man is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars of gold bars in Tampa.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says Vitalijs Apetenoks, 33, was arrested for stealing more than $20,000 worth of gold bars more than two weeks ago.
Mugshot of Vitalijs Apetenoks. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The backstory:
Authorities say Apetenoks approached a UPS driver, claiming a package was his on March 6. The driver had checked his ID and handed Apetenoks the package, according to deputies with the HCSO.
However, the ID used by the suspect was found to be fraudulent, and the actual owner reported the theft.
Deputies said they discovered a doorbell video that captured Apetenoks during the incident, which happened in the 14900 block of Aire Place in Tampa.
Dig deeper:
HCSO says Apetenoks was arrested in New Jersey as he tried to leave the country from Newark Airport following an arrest warrant being placed on him days earlier.
READ: Armed woman shot by deputies after waving gun, ramming several vehicles: PCSO
He was charged with fraudulent use of personal information, organized fraud $20,000 to $50,000 and grand theft second degree, HCSO says.
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What they're saying:
"Stealing from our community will not be tolerated, and fleeing our state won't stop us from catching you," said Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister. "We'll continue to pursue these criminals and make sure anyone involved in these thefts faces the full consequences."
What's next:
HCSO says they are still investigating.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
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