Crime & Safety

Con Man's Swindle Caught On Tape At Handy Food Store

Have you seen this man, who reportedly claimed to be a vendor, dropped off a key, and left with $300? Call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The con was on at the Handy Neighborhood Store on East Adamo Drive and now the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has released a video showing the swindler in action, with hopes the community can aid in the man's capture.

Wanted is a white male, about 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, age 22 to 29, with medium build and fair complexion. He was last seen wearing a black hat, black shorts, black shoes and a black shirt with a yellow design on its front.
 
According to the sheriff's report, the clerk who was swindled had been at work June 21 at 9320 East Adamo Drive, in the Greater Brandon area of Tampa.

According to the reported chain of events:

  • The clerk at about 6:30 p.m. received a call from a man claiming to be from the corporate office.
  • The man told the clerk that a vendor would be stopping by to drop off a key and that the man owed that vendor $475.00.
  • The man asked the clerk if he knew how to do a payout and the clerk responded that he did not. The man then walked the clerk through the procedure, "and told him exactly which buttons to press."
  • The man asked the clerk if he had enough money in the cash draw to make the payout and the clerk said he did not. The man then gave he clerk an invoice number to write down.
  • The man in the surveillance video walked into the store and gave the clerk a key. The clerk gave the man $300 and had him sign the piece of paper with the invoice number on it. The suspect agreed to pick up the remaining $175 the next day and left the store.
  • The clerk did not get the name for either the man on the phone or the man who entered the store.

Have a tip that can help solve this crime?

  • Call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200.
  • To be eligible for a cash reward, for information leading to an arrest, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477).
  • Or, text "CSTB [plus your tip]" to  C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).


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