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3 Accused Of Stealing From Clearwater Beachgoers

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TBO.com

Published: August 6, 2008

  Jessica Putbrese

  Jeramiah Putbrese

  Ladonn Hoke

CLEARWATER Three people were arrested Tuesday, accused of taking items — including the towels — of beachgoers, Clearwater police said.

Jessica Putbrese, 30, Jeramiah Putbrese, 29, and Ladonn Hoke, 21, all of Clearwater, have been charged with multiple counts of grand theft.

According to police, personal items on or near beach blankets were taken while the owners were swimming at Clearwater Beach between 500 Mandalay Ave. and 400 S. Gulfview Blvd.

Since June, there have been more than 30 thefts, but the three arrested Tuesday are not connected to all of them, police said.

The most recent incident occurred Monday. Minutes after it was reported, officers saw two men running toward a vehicle with a woman in the driver's seat. The men were carrying items concealed in beach towels, police said. The vehicle drove off, but the officers wrote down a description of the car and a partial tag number.

On Tuesday, officers found a suspicious vehicle at the beach. When the three people tried to leave, police stopped them. Two beachgoers approached and told the officers that they had items stolen. Police found the beachgoers' belongings in the car.

Hoke and the Putbreses have been linked to at least five cases where about $10,000 worth of property was taken, investigators said. Recovered items include cash, debit and credit cards, purses, wallets, cell phones and jewelry.

Jessica Putbrese was charged with nine counts of grand theft, driving with a suspended or revoked license and failure to register a vehicle. She is being held on $25,500 bail at Pinellas County Jail.

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