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Men arrested in cash, jewelry thefts

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published January 20, 2007

Detectives have arrested two men in connection with a series of burglaries in mid and southern Pinellas that netted an estimated $400,000 worth of stolen jewelry.

And that's just from crimes the authorities know about.

Pinellas County sheriff's officials said Thursday they believe other burglaries have gone unreported.

On Wednesday, detectives arrested Gene Deluigi, 56, of Clearwater on charges of dealing in stolen property and improper record keeping by a secondhand dealer.

The other man, Andrew Charles Everlove, 24, of St. Petersburg was arrested last week on numerous charges including burglary and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Deluigi was released on his own recognizance and could not be reached for comment Thursday. Everlove remained in the Pinellas County Jail on Thursday in lieu of $63,500 bail.

According to sheriff's officials, Everlove broke into at least six homes in Bardmoor and Tierra Verde between Dec. 10 and Jan. 5. He would knock on the door of each home and when no one answered, he would go to the back and look for an unlocked door or window.

Once inside, he grabbed cash, credit cards, jewelry and small electronics, officials said. Everlove would then pawn the items or sell them on the street to support his drug habit, they said.

That's where Deluigi came in, officials said. He worked at Boggs Jewelers at 3601 49th St. North in St. Petersburg and bought some of the stolen goods from Everlove, they said. Deluigi later tried to sell the items inside the shop.

Times staff writer Jacob H. Fries can be reached at jfries@sptimes.com or 727 445-4156.

TO HELP

Have information?

Anyone with information about the burglaries is asked to call sheriff's Detectives Curtis Skinner or Clay Saunders at (727) 582-6200. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.

[Last modified January 19, 2007, 23:29:12]