Theft suspect escapes, briefly

Charges mount against a man accused of using stolen cards on a shopping spree.

By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
Published November 24, 2007

PORT RICHEY - Not everyone waited until "Black Friday."

Scott Preston Quinn sure didn't, authorities say. They say he went to Hollywood Video and loaded up on $5,317.70 worth of the best video game systems out there - Playstation 3, Xbox 360, even the store's last Nintendo Wii - the night before Thanksgiving.

He also bought DVDs, video games and plenty of accessories for his new toys.

Except the credit and debit cards he allegedly used Wednesday night were not his own, authorities say. They were reportedly stolen from the parking lot of the State Road 54 Super Wal-Mart.

And if the name Scott Preston Quinn seems a bit familiar, it's because of what happened after the 24-year-old's arrest on theft and fraud charges.

Quinn is also accused of kicking his way out of a police car on his way to the Land O'Lakes jail and briefly escaping into the early Thursday morning darkness.

Now his latest bill is for $95,500. That's the amount of bail for Quinn, which is why he spent Thanksgiving in jail and was still there Friday.

Why so much? Let us count the charges: 12 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, one count of grand theft, one count of criminal mischief, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal mischief, one count of escape and one count of battery on a law enforcement officer.

According to a Port Richey police report, a man reported that his wife's financial cards, driver's license and other papers were stolen from the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Quinn, however, told police he merely "found" the cards and license.

Police say Quinn then went to the Hollywood Video store on 8605 U.S. 19 and made 12 purchases. The highest was $545.65 and the lowest was $181.89.

According to a police report, an unidentified witness said Quinn had her pretend to be his mother in a phone call to the store - the cards were in a woman's name - to persuade employees there to complete the sales.

Quinn, however, didn't get far. Hours after his alleged video game heist, police say they pulled him over in the parking lot of the nearby Port Richey Super Wal-Mart off U.S. 19.

Police say they also found 29 pills of diazepam, or Valium, in Quinn's pocket, for which he had no prescription.

Later, at 4:39 a.m. Thursday, police say a handcuffed Quinn kicked out the rear driver's side window of the police car he was riding in.

The officer, who was doing 50 mph on U.S. 41, quickly pulled over to try to restrain Quinn. But Quinn then somehow kicked his way to freedom, police say, kicking at the officer, kicking his way out of the backseat and then running into the woods.

Quinn was recaptured about 7:15 a.m., authorities say, behind the Hess gas station at U.S. 41 and S.R. 52. He was hiding in the back seat of a parked car, they say.

Jamal Thalji can be reached at thalji@sptimes.com or 727 869-6236.

[Last modified November 24, 2007, 19:33:27]