Update: Suspect Arrested in Breast Cancer Donation Theft

Updated at 8:21 a.m., Oct. 28:

Deputies have arrested a man who they say stole a container of breast cancer awareness donations after he was caught Thursday allegedly taking another money jar from a Brandon business.

Lawrence Pino Jr., 23, was spotted stealing a jar of tips for employees of Tijuana Flats, 11007 Causeway Blvd., around 9:45 p.m. Thursday, just hours after local media aired surveillance video that showed him taking a Susan G. Komen For the Cure charity container from , 10951 Causeway Blvd., last Sunday.

An employee at the restaurant recognized Pino as the same man who stole the breast cancer donations just days earlier, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office news release, and the employee followed Pino across Causeway  Boulevard until deputies arrived and took him into custody.

When Pino was arrested, he was still wearing the same clothes seen in the surveillance video.

"Pino identified himself in the video and admitted stealing and tossing the Breast
Cancer donation jar in a wooded area" nearby, the news release states.

Pino is charged with two counts of felony petit theft.

Earlier:

The man stole a Susan G. Komen For the Cure charity container from , 10951 Causeway Blvd., last Sunday, according to a release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The man entered the sub shop around 3:43 p.m. Sunday and looked at the charity container before leaving, detectives said. He returned two minutes later and took the container while the store's employees were distracted, fleeing in an unknown direction.

The suspect is described as a black man, between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8 and 160 to 180 pounds, possibly with braids. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, red shorts, black do-rag, black tennis shoes and carrying a backpack.

Detectives said they believe the man frequents the shopping plaza. He was seen going in and out of the businesses within the plaza from early morning until the time of the robbery, acording to the release.

Anyone with any information reference the suspect is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of this suspect and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at crimestopperstb.com or text "CSTB plus your tip" to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).

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