Antique Thief Stole Sterling Silver Items Worth $18K: St. Pete Police

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Investigators are asking for public assistance in identifying an antique thief, who stole about $18,000 worth of items from a shop on Nov. 11, St Petersburg police wrote in a Facebook post. (Watch a video of the suspect below.)

The man went to Andrea and Friends Antique Mall at 2400 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street N and hid in the store.

He waited until the antique mall closed “to crawl around and pilfer items mostly made of sterling silver,” police said.

These items included plates, bowls, silverware, cups and serving pieces, as well as vintage fountain pens, according to a news release.

The man is described as white and between 55 and 65 years old. He's about 6 feet tall with a heavy build and is bow-legged, walking with "a distinctive waddle," police said.

The suspect was last seen wearing black-rimmed glasses, a black baseball cap with a University of South Florida Bulls logo, tan cargo shorts, a white and gray plaid short-sleeve shirt, gray New Balance sneakers, and white socks.

Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Petersburg Police Department at 727-893-7780 or text SPPD and your tip to TIP411.

Watch a video of the suspect crawling around the antique mall below: