Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 10, 2001
ZEPHYRHILLS -- Police officers Saturday arrested a 22-year-old man they say was in the act of robbing an Auto Zone store at 5350 Gall Blvd.
Ricky Layne Tallman Jr., whose address was unknown, was caught in the store about 10 p.m. after an officer heard an alarm.
Officers said they inspected the building after hearing the alarm, then called the manager to open the building.
Inside, standing at the end of an aisle was Tallman, a report stated.
He was ordered to the ground and searched. Officers found on him, among other things, a vent coat hanger, a wire cutter, a screwdriver, a saw blade and six pairs of surgical gloves.
Zephyrhills Police Capt. Richard Scudder said Tallman admitted to entering the store about 9 p.m. and hiding in a women's restroom until closing time. He told officers that he planned on breaking into a safe to get money to pay his rent, the report said.
Scudder said Tallman is a former employee of the store.
He faces charges of burglary and possession of burglary tools.
The arrest was the department's second for burglary in several days. On Thursday, officers arrested another man who they say was in the process of robbing the South Avenue Seafood Market. Scudder said the burglaries were not related.
Tallman was taken to Land O'Lakes jail, where he remained Monday in lieu of $7,500 bail.