MANATEEE — A reported $30,000 mall jewelry heist foiled by deputies this week was likely an inside job, authorities said.
Just after 11 a.m. Thursday the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested John Boselli, 26, Eric Rought, 21, and Justin McKinniss, 22, in connection with the theft at Kay Jewelers inside the Desoto Square mall.
The men were arrested on charges including grand theft, said sheriff’s spokesman Dave Bristow.
“It was staged, the person who was being robbed wasn’t really being robbed,” Bristow said.
Prior to the theft, the sheriff’s office was tipped off that there would be a theft at the store involving the three suspects.
Law enforcement including the SWAT team set up shop around the mall and waited for the heist to go down.
McKinniss, of Sarasota, is employed at Kay and was involved in the heist, Bristow said.
Shortly before 11 a.m., McKinniss reported a robbery had just occurred at the store, Bristow said.
As Boselli and Rought were leaving the mall with the stolen merchandise, deputies were waiting for them.
The suspects were arrested without incident and the more than $30,000 worth of stolen jewelry was recovered.
Following their arrest, sheriff’s crime scene technicians collected evidence including fingerprints from the store.
The store, surrounded by yellow crime scene tape, was closed following the heist.
The mall is across from the sheriff’s office on U.S. 301 Boulevard.
“The mall was very cooperative in this,” Bristow said.
Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 747-3011, or Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS.
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