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Been Burglarized Or Robbed? Get A Look At Some Hot Items

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By MIKE WELLS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 7, 2007

Related: Read Press Release | Photo Gallery

TAMPA - Missing a few things?

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office might have them and is holding a public viewing Saturday so theft victims can check out some of the nearly $2 million in stolen items recovered during a sting operation.

On Oct. 31, the sheriff's gang enforcement section finished a yearlong undercover effort in Seffner. The operation, dubbed "Deputies Against Guns," focused on removing illegal weapons from the hands of criminals by buying them. It brought in 214 guns – and much more.

Undercover detectives operating out of DAG's Electronics on U.S. 92 in Seffner also bought stolen cars, trucks, watercraft and electronics from the 203 people who came through the doors.

Detectives say the property was stolen during burglaries, automobile break-ins and other thefts. Most of the larger items, such as vehicles, quickly were returned to the owners, but some items are still in the sheriff's custody.

The guns are undergoing testing to determine whether they were used in any known crimes and will be available for return later, officials say.

The store was wired with a live feed video camera system. Detectives were paired with a SWAT member in case any of the customers became violent.

Most of the people who came in were criminals, said one of the undercover detectives. "It was an education, to say the least."

The Tribune is not publishing the detective's name to protect his safety and because he is participating in ongoing investigations.

The undercover deputies developed relationships with people who came in to sell stolen goods, he said. They developed a "trust" with them and would talk about life's problems as if they were buddies.

"They consider you their friend," he said. "They'll ask you to watch their stuff. You laugh inside at people who say they can 'smell a cop.'"

Some of the people were arrested on the spot, but most were arrested away from the store on a warrant, the detectives said.

Keeping such a lengthy, complex operation secret wasn't easy, officials say. No one outside the investigative division of the sheriff's office was told about the operation, said operation supervisor Cpl. Kyle Robinson.

"If they were not intimately involved as an investigator, they were not to know about it," he said. "It was extremely difficult. It was impressed upon every detective that they were not to explain what they were doing in any way to a spouse, to anybody."

The public viewing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the District II office, 2310 N. Falkenburg Road. All the property was recovered before Oct. 1.

Those seeking to recover property must present a police report and any documentation that supports ownership, such as serial numbers, and a description of the items, including distinguishing marks, features or owner applied numbers.

Those planning to attend the viewing should review a list of the items on the sheriff's Web site at www.hcso.tampa.fl.us. If the list does not contain items similar to what you reported missing, then there is no need to attend the viewing, officials say.

Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.

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