The suspects lead deputies to a storage site holding $5,000 worth of stolen goods. Victims may prove ownership and recover their property today.
By CHRIS TISCH
Published December 19, 2003
LARGO - In the dark of night, a sheriff's sergeant rolled up on two guys breaking into a car last weekend.
The men wore rubber gloves on their hands and miners' hats on their heads. They carried two-way radios, a police scanner and an assortment of tools.
Officials say the men's arrests halted a rash of auto burglaries that riddled industrial parks in the area of Ulmerton and Starkey roads for about three months. More than 40 cars were involved.
After their arrest, the burglary suspects led investigators to a storage facility, where detectives recovered about $5,000 in stereo equipment, power tools, jewelry and other items.
Investigators are now trying to get that stolen stuff back to the rightful owners. They are leafing through police reports, trying to match some of the items with victims of recent car burglaries.
Investigators will display the items today at the Sheriff's Office property and evidence building for the public to view. Burglary victims can view the items from 10:30 a.m. to noon at 4707 145th Ave. N, near the criminal courts complex.
"We'd like to find victims for all the property," sheriff's Detective Kenneth Sokolowski said.
Investigators will be asking for some evidence of ownership, whether it be serial numbers, photos of the items or descriptions of unusual markings.
"Property will not be released until we're comfortable it's with the rightful owners," Sokolowski said.
The car break-ins started in September. Most occurred in industrial parks. The cars were entered through smashed windows.
Crime analysts noticed a trend. Sheriff's officials deployed more deputies to that area and also set up surveillance.
Deputies said they caught Brian K. Ferry Jr., 20, of Clearwater and Jamison E. Clark, 19, of Seminole in the act last weekend. Both men admitted to the string of burglaries, Sokolowski said, then took investigators to a storage unit on Seminole Boulevard.
"They both agreed to go on a show-and-tell," the detective said.
Both men were arrested on multiple charges of auto burglary.
Sokolowski said he has been trying to match all of the recovered property to victims, but it's a slow process and it may work better for victims to come to him. He also suspects some victims may not have reported their losses to authorities.
He said any property not picked up today will be kept at the Sheriff's Office while he continues to search for owners.
