Sarasota crackdown on retail theft nets 51 arrests. Nine of the suspects are from Manatee
Fifty-one people have been arrested and charged with a variety offenses in the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office latest retail theft operation, including nine people from Manatee County.
According to a press release issued Friday afternoon, the operation focused on retail areas between Sarasota and Venice and is an ongoing operation that has been conducted routinely since 2013.
Among those arrested from Manatee County include:
- Keisha Edwards, 42, Bradenton, charged with petit theft.
- Trina Fordham, 30, Bradenton, charged with petit theft.
- Laquana Goodson, 29, Bradenton, charged with grand theft.
- Armando Irepan-Garcia, 22, Bradenton, charged with failure to appear.
- Brian L’Hommedieu, 32, Bradenton, charged with driving while license suspended.
- Brandon Moore, 29, Palmetto, charged with possession of THC oil and drug equipment.
- Joshua Reid, 40, Bradenton, charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotic equipment, false identification given to law enforcement, and contempt of court.
- Michael West, 43, Bradenton, charged with driving while license suspended.
- Michael Tkacz, 30, Bradenton, charged with driving while license suspended.
“Retail theft increases the cost of doing business for stores, which also affects us as consumers,” said Sheriff Tom Knight. “Based on crime analysis, we can look at hot spots and deploy resources during these maintenance type initiatives. Our hope is by saturating heavily populated retail areas, we are sending a strong message that criminal behavior is not welcome or tolerated in this community.”