Former NBA player tried to turn himself in two days after burglary. Six months later, he was arrested.

After trying to turn himself in two days after the incident, a former NBA player was booked into the Manatee County jail Monday on a warrant for burglary.

Steve Francis, 39, who played for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and New York Knicks, was arrested Monday on a warrant for an original charge for burglary of an unoccupied conveyance.

The three-time NBA All-Star and second-overall pick in the 1999 draft, was arrested on the warrant and released Monday on a $1,500 bond, jail records show.

According to a probable cause affidavit from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, a woman parked her car outside the Cortez Clam Factory on Cortez Road West on June 15.

While she was inside the restaurant, she left the car unlocked and a man, later identified as Francis, asked a bartender to hold a flashlight while he searched for his car keys and allegedly went through the victim’s vehicle, according to reports.

Francis allegedly took items including a wallet, makeup pouch, gold jewelry and cash valued at approximately $7,252, the affidavit showed.

Two days later, Francis went to the Bradenton Police Department and tried to turn himself in. Reports show he threw a plastic bag with several items inside on the ground and said, “I just robbed somebody, take me to jail. I’m turning myself in.”

A check of the police department’s service calls did not reveal a crime, and he was allowed to leave. It was not until after an officer went through the bag of items that the property — including the victim’s driver’s license — was linked to the victim and a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office case, according to reports.

Investigators identified Francis through tattoos seen on surveillance footage from the Cortez Clam Factory.

This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 9:36 PM with the headline "Former NBA player tried to turn himself in two days after burglary. Six months later, he was arrested.."