Credits cards taken from mourners' cars were used to buy video games, clothes and gift cards, with the tab reaching near $10,000.
By CHRIS TISCH
Published May 16, 2003
LARGO - Members of a theft and fraud ring that snatched purses from mourners' cars at cemeteries, then used the victims' credit cards to buy video games, clothes and gift cards, have pleaded guilty or no contest to the charges.
Last summer, law enforcement in Largo, Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg and Dunedin were contending with cemetery car burglars. The thieves broke into about a dozen cars at local cemeteries as mourners placed flowers on their loved ones' grave sites.
The thieves took purses and pocket books, then used the victims' credit cards at local Kmarts and Wal-Marts. By August, the thieves' total take was nearing $10,000, police said.
Police used business surveillance video and other methods to develop a number of suspects. By mid August, they arrested four people in connection with the thefts and frauds.
Police said Cedrick Larry, 34, and Torez Hall, 28, committed most of the car burglaries. The pair then either used the credit cards themselves or handed them off to two women, Kim Harvey, 36, and Cloratte McDaniels, 29, who fraudulently bought items at local stores, police said.
This week, Larry pleaded guilty to multiple charges of grand theft, credit card fraud and forgery. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $4,600 in restitution.
Upon his sentencing, Larry also was served with a warrant charging him with three counts of lewd and lascivious behavior with a child.
Authorities say Larry had sex with an underage teenage girl in St. Petersburg.
McDaniels pleaded no contest this week to charges or forgery and credit card fraud. She was sentenced to two years of community control and ordered to pay $155 in restitution.
Hall pleaded no contest to charges of grand theft, credit card fraud and burglary in October. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $2,600 in restitution.
Harvey pleaded no contest in March to charges of forgery and credit card fraud. She was sentenced to two years of community control and ordered to pay $90 in restitution.
