Burglaries, Robberies and Auto Break-Ins Reported

Recent reports from Tampa Police Districts 2 and 3:

Oct. 13

• A Metro PCS cell phone was reported stolen from a car at the 3600 block of East Paris Street. The car window was down. The phone's GPS showed it at or near a home nearby. The occupants allowed a search but the phone was not located. Police are following a lead from one of the occupants that an acquaintance who is a Sligh Middle School student recently found a cell phone on Paris Street.
• A burglary was reported at a home at the 2200 block of East 17th Avenue. The culprit entered through a sliding glass door. Reported taken was a Sanyo safe containing approximately $10,000 in cash, a pair of white diamond earrings, a diamond cross charm, a pair of black diamond earrings, and an X-Box 360 with a Little League World Series game. This home was last burglarized on Sept. 28 and on at least four other dates since 2002. Police have responded to the location about 12 times for alarm calls.
• A burglary was reported at the 7200 block of North Taliaferro Avenue. Reported taken were an LG 42-inch television. The laundry room window was broken.

Oct. 14

• An attempted burglary was reported at the 7700 block of North Arden. The culprit broke a rear window and startled the victim by screaming and swinging a metal bar at the window before running away. No entry was made, but the suspect had cut electrical and telephone wires outside the home.
• The front passenger window of a vehicle was smashed out at the 1000 block of East Comanche Street.
• A Ruger 9mm handgun was among items reported stolen in a burglary at the 5800 block of North 16th Street. The culprits kicked in a rear door and also removed a 50-inch television, a 32-inch television and a MacBook laptop computer. Neighbors reported seeing a white sedan parked in front of the home.

Oct. 15

• Police found a bag containing two GPS units, a radar detector and miscellaneous cords outside a home at the 800 block of East Broad Street.. Using data from one of the GPS units, the victims were found at the 300 block of East Hollywood Street. They did not know that their vehicle had been burglarized. Two residents at the Broad Street residence are considered "known burglars."
• A driver's side window of a vehicle was smashed at the 1200 block of East Broad Street. An iPhone was reported stolen.
• A burglary was reported at the 1200 block of East Crenshaw Street. The culprit entered through the rear door. Reported taken were a 32-inch and a 46-inch television and miscellaneous crystal items.
• An auto burglary was reported at the 6700 block of North 13th Street. A rear window was broken with a large rock. Taken was a Garmin GPS unit valued at $2,395. The victim has a video surveillance system that shows the suspect in the act.
• A scooter was reported stolen from the 7900 block of North Florida Avenue. The Astronomical Bash had a red box on the back and black letters on the side. It had been secured with a chain.
• Police arrested Nathan A. Franklin, 21, after he attempted to remove a battery from a car at the 900 block of East Bougainvillea Avenue.

Oct. 16

• Someone tried to enter OJ's Auto Repair at 9411 N. Nebraska Ave. by beating the door knobs off the entry but was unsuccessful.
• A black Cadillac SRX was reported taken from the 300 block of East Knollwood Avenue.
• An auto burglary was reported at the 2000 block of East Henry Avenue. The culprit removed the victim's ID holder from a Nissan Maxima. The windows had been left down by the victim.
• Officers are investigating a burglary and property damage at the Sun State Tow lot at 3803 N. Florida Ave. The culprit hopped the fence and broke a car window.

Oct. 17

• Bottles of alcohol were reported taken from Billards Tampa Bay, 7532 N. Armenia Avenue. The culprit smashed the front door to gain entry and took the bottles from behind the bar. This is the second such offense at this location within 24 hours. Nothing else was taken.
• A burglary is under investigation at a vacant home at the 5800 block of North Osceola Place. The culprit sawed the middle of the door toward the locks and pried it open. Nothing was taken but a refrigerator was moved.
• A burglary is under investigation at a home on the 300 block of East Fern Street. It is possible that a key was used to gain entry. Reported taken were: a 48-inch Vizio LCD television, a PlayStation 3, an X-Box Elite, two controllers for each game system, 20-25 games, and a 14.4-inch Acer laptop computer with a dark red bamboo cover.
• An armed robbery was reported at 7:45 p.m. near the intersection of East Henry Avenue and North 20th Street. The victim was walking when two youths stepped out from behind a tree. One pointed a handgun at the victim and ordered him to give them everything he had. A cell phone and wallet containing credit cards and ID were taken. Both suspects ran west on East Clifton Street. Both were described as black males, about 16 years old, 5 feet tall and 125 pounds. The one with the gun had a small afro hairstyle, dark skin and was wearing a long white T-shirt, black gym shorts, and black Converse sneakers. The second suspect was had a light complexion, straight hair pulled back and wore a beanie cap, a black shirt, black pants, black gloves and black shoes.
• A stabbing and attempted robbery were reported near the intersection of North 12th Street and East Columbus Drive. Four suspects surrounded the victim, who was riding his bicycle, and demanded his wallet. When he refused and began to walk away, one of the suspects stabbed him in the left side.