Sheriff's Office Seeks Identity of Cell Phone Store Bandit

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is seeking information that may lead to the apprehension of a burglar who has struck eight cell phone stores throughout the county since July 23.

According to the sheriff's office, cash was stolen from the cell phone store. In all cases, the burglar used an object such as a hammer, rock or flower pot to break the business window and gain entry. 

The suspect either exited out the back door of the store or back through the entry point.  All but one of the burglaries occurred near midnight. 

Among the stores burglarized was the Verizon Wireless store at 13166 U.S. 301 S., Riverview, July 24.

Detectives have not determined if all the burglaries have been committed by the same person seen in the surveillance video. After viewing some
of the other surveillance videos, detectives believe there could be three people involved in the burglaries.

The burglar seen in the surveillance video from an attempted break-in Aug. 3 at Metro PCS, 6164 U.S. 41 N., Apollo Beach, is a white male, 22 to 29 years old, 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall, 160 to 180 pounds, with a medium build, short hair with a distinctive widow's peak and a large hollow cross tattoo on his upper back.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 8130247-8200 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) to be eligible for a cash reward. Residents also can report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or text "CSTB plus your tip" to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).