Crime & Safety
Seffner Man Charged With 3 Counts of Grand Theft Auto
An unlocked door and keys on the floorboard led to the third grand theft auto charge for a Seffner man now in custody, according to detectives.
Stealing a Coca-Cola is the least of a man's worries, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office report, which attributes to the thief as well a spate of grand theft auto charges.
Arrested is 42-year-old Scott Douglas Kelsey, of 101 West Tennessee Ave., who allegedly stole the three vehicles from locations in Brandon, Mango and Seffner.
On June 23 at about 2:17 p.m., Kelsey reportedly pulled into the Circle K gas station at 6009 County Road 579 in Mango driving a stolen Ford F-150 pickup truck.
After allegedly stealing a Coca-Cola product, he remained near the truck until the driver of an Audi S8 left the vehicle unlocked, with the keys on the floorboard.
"As the victim began the process to fuel his vehicle, the suspect walked over to the victim's vehicle, entered the vehicle and fled northbound" on CR 579, according to the report.
The Audi was recovered June 25 at 7329 Kingsbury Circle in Tampa. The Ford truck was reported stolen in Brandon, at Park Street and West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Kelsey also allegedly stole a Honda Accord in Brandon, at 531 Julie Lane.
He now faces three counts each of grand auto theft; burglary of a conveyance and driving with a suspended license, habitual traffic offender. Also, one count each of grand theft and leaving the scene of a crash with property.
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