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Suspect steals wedding gifts during Bradenton reception
Deputies are searching for a thief accused of robbing a Clearwater couple of more than thousands-worth of gifts and cash during their own wedding.
BRADENTON, Fla. - Emma and Chris Cox are trying not to let a very dark cloud hang over their wedding day, but it's hard not to after someone apparently ripped-off thousands of gifts during their reception.
“The first day of being married was to enjoy each other, and we felt like we couldn’t even do that because we had to go to the sheriff’s department,” Emma told FOX 13.
Deputies with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after surveillance video shows someone, they think a woman, swiping a bag full of wedding gifts as they were being loaded into a family member’s truck.
The couple had just wrapped up their reception Saturday at the Pavilion at Mixon farms in Bradenton when they think the heist happened.
Emma says $3,000-$5,000-worth of cash, checks, and gift cards are all gone. They think the person responsible could be connected to the wedding party.
Brandy Harlen, the wedding planner at Mixon Farms has turned all surveillance videos over to detectives.
“Nothing like this has ever happened. Ever,” Harlen told FOX 13. “In 16 years, planning in different venues all over Florida... nothing like this has ever happened.”
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said they have detectives working this case with several leads, but as of Wednesday evening, there have been no arrests.