$2,000 Bike Stolen in Vélo Champ Break-In

The suspect set off the alarm and was seen on security camera footage at the Central Avenue bicycle shop, Tampa Police report.

Someone kicked in the front door of Vélo Champ bicycle shop and stole a $2,000 bike Sunday night, Tampa Police report. The suspect set off the alarm when he entered the building, at 6112 N. Central Ave., and stole a Cinelli Experience road bike that was near the front door, according to a report from Tampa Police's District 2. The shop's owners have security video footage of the suspect, who was last seen traveling southbound on Central Avenue near East Comanche Avenue, authorities said. Crime scene investigators processed the scene, and K-9 units were unable to track the suspect. The alleged thief is described as a black male with medium complexion, between 5-foot-7 and 5-food-9 and weighing about 150 pounds. He was wearing a white tank …

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4th Suspect in Soldier's Beating Turns Self In

Brandon Jakob Miller, 18, of Tampa, 'was uncooperative and showed no remorse' for his alleged role in a vicious attack on a MacDill Air Force Base soldier in South Tampa, police said.

The fourth and final suspect wanted in the beating of a MacDill Air Force Base soldier has turned himself in, Tampa Police said.  Brandon Jakob Miller, 18, of 16023 Sharewood Dr., Tampa, turned himself in Tuesday at the Orient Road Jail, officials said Tuesday afternoon. When detectives arrived at the jail, Miller "was uncooperative and showed no remorse," according to a police news release. Miller is one of four 18-year-old suspects who police say attacked and robbed U.S. Army Sgt. Johnny Aparicio in the early morning hours of May 13. Aparacio, who was walking home near South Renellie Drive and West Iowa Avenue in South Tampa, suffered a broken nose and had a tooth knocked out. The attack was captured on home surveillance footage. Miller …

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Woman Robbed near Publix Supermarket in Old Seminole Heights

A woman was robbed in the 900 block of East Paris Street early Friday, May 4.

A woman, whose name has not been released, was robbed early Friday, May 4, in the 900 block of East Paris Street, according to Tampa Police District 2. Around 6.45 a.m., the victim was approached by a white male who threaten her with a piece of glass demanding her purse, said Lisa Timmer, Neighborhood Affairs Liaison for Tampa Police District 2. The suspect fled the scene on foot with the victim’s purse and the victim was not injured. Timmer said that several police officers and helicopters were dispatched because several people living in the neighborhood called 911 to report the robbery. Timmer said that police recovered the victim’s purse and the suspect’s flip flops nearby. “There is a good chance we will be able to make a match because…

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Alessandra Da Pra

1:07 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012

You are welcome Margaret, and thanks to Patch reader Denise Preziosi for contacting us with the tip.   more ›

Two Men Wanted in Postal Worker Robbery; U.S. Postal Service Offering $50,000 Reward

The two individuals in the pictures may be suspects in Wednesday's U.S. Postal worker robbery that took place in Sulphur Springs, according to Tampa Police Department.

Tampa Police detectives are searching for the two individuals in these pictures. Police said that they may be suspects in the U.S. Postal Service worker robbery that occurred in Sulphur Springs on Wednesday. “The U.S. Postal Service would like to reiterate that there is a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest in this case,” said a Tampa Police Department press release. One suspect was described as a 6-foot-1, 190-pound black man, 17 to 27 years old. He was wearing a white tank top or T-shirt, jeans, a dark baseball cap worn backward and a black backpack. He was armed with a black revolver, according to officials. The other suspect was described as a 5-foot-10, 230-pound black man with low-cut hair and wearing a white T-shirt…

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Postal Worker Robbed at Gunpoint in Sulphur Springs

This is the second time this month a U.S. Postal Service truck was robbed in the area, Tampa Police report.

A U.S. Postal Service worker was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday morning in Sulphur Springs, the second robbery of a postal service truck in the area this month. On April 17, two suspects broke into a mail truck parked in Hampton Terrace and stole two containers of mail, Tampa Police reported. In Wednesday's robbery, the mail carrier was sitting in his truck parked at 1101 River Cove St. E. sorting mail shortly after 11 a.m. when he felt a gun to his side, Tampa Police spokesperson Andrea Davis said in a media release. A suspect told him, "Don't move," and when the mail carrier turned to look, the suspect put the gun to his head and said, "Don't look," according to Davis. The suspect made the mail carrier drive the truck to the area of Kodiak…

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Man Robbed During Supposed Craigslist Purchase

A Winter Haven man came to Tampa to buy an iPhone he saw on Craigslist; instead, he was robbed by two men at gunpoint.

Detectives are asking for help in identifying possible victims of Craigslist robbery scams similar to one in which a man's money, car keys and phone were taken at gunpoint earlier this month in Tampa. Tampa Police said the victim traveled from Winter Haven to an apartment complex in the 1500 block of East Humphrey Street on Dec. 4 to buy an iPhone that was advertised on Craigslist. He met with the supposed seller in the parking lot to complete the transaction and was told to wait there while the suspect went to get the phone. At that point, a second man approached him and robbed him at gunpoint of his money, car keys, watch and his older iPhone. Further investigation led police to a North Tampa apartment, and they later arrested Tavaris …

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Detectives Searching for Three Robbery Suspects

Surveillance video shows the suspects using the victims' credit cards.

Tampa Police are searching for three men suspected in an armed robbery that happened about 30 minutes after midnight early Sunday, according to a news release. Police gave the following account of the robbery: Three University of Tampa Students were walking home from a party were headed south on foot on North Boulevard. As they approached Ross Avenue, two men jumped out from behind utility poles. One man pointed a gun at the victims and the other punched one of the victims. The culprits took the victims' wallets. An hour later, one of the two men involved in the robbery and a third man used the victims' credit cards at a 7-Eleven at 2302 W. Waters Avenue. At one point, one of the men yelled at a store clerk from the entrance of the store …

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Police: Driver Stabbed with Syringe in Robbery

Tampa Police are looking for two women after a man reported being robbed in his car at knifepoint and stabbed with a needle.

A driver told Tampa Police that he was robbed Thursday afternoon by two female pedestrians after they approached his vehicle at a red light. The man was eastbound on Fowler Avenue at 2:25 p.m. and stopped for a red light at 22nd Avenue, according to an incident report. Two women approached on foot asking for cigarettes and change. The first woman reached into the driver's side window with a knife, stabbing the victim's chin and cutting his cheek, police said. The second woman entered the vehicle, grabbed the man's wallet from the center console and stabbed him in the right side of his torso with a syringe. The women then ran south on 22nd Street. Police responded to the scene and searched for the suspects but were unable to find them, the…

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Crime Blotter

Burglaries and Robbery Under Investigation

Tampa Police are investigating a stolen computer, jewelry, vehicle trailer and appliances.

Recent reports from Tampa Police District 2: July 11 A residential burglary was reported at the 900 block of East Hamilton Avenue. Someone entered through a window and stole a laptop and jewelry. July 12 A vehicle trailer was reported stolen at the 6900 block of North Duncan Avenue. A washer, a dryer and steel scaffolding were taken from a vacant rental property at the 8500 block of N. 15th Street. The home has a 4-foot chain link fence surrounding the property. July 13 A woman reported being robbed outside the 7-11 convenience store at 2320 W. Waters Ave. Police said the woman was leaving the store, walking around the side of the business, when she was confronted by two men. They knocked her down and took undisclosed property from her. …

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Tampa Police Searching for Gas Station Robbery Suspect

Police release video of suspect in Chevron robbery.

Tampa Police are searching for a man suspected in robbing a Chevron gas station on Sunday afternoon at 2735 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Investigators have released video footage of the suspect. The man entered the gas station at 3:25 p.m. and filled out a lottery ticket. He handed it to the clerk and loitered in the store for several minutes before going behind the counter and forcing the cashier to open the register and give him the cash, police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said in a news release. The man left in a dark colored compact car, possibly a Hyundai or a Kia, McElroy said. The man was described as black, with medium to dark skin tone, 5-feet-8-inches to 5-feet-11-inches tall, about 300 pounds, with a full beard and mustache…

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