TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Suspect Charged In Scratch-Off Theft

ADVERTISEMENT

By JULIA FERRANTE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 27, 2008

HOLIDAY - A 26-year-old man was charged Wednesday with stealing $800 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets from a supermarket last month.

Jason M. Sessions of 4246 Courier Lane was charged with grand theft after several people, including a store manager, identified him in connection with the May 26 incident at the Sweetbay Supermarket at 3406 U.S. 19.

Sessions, who denied involvement in the theft, has been held at the Land O' Lakes Jail since June 6 on unrelated drug and counterfeiting charges, according to Pasco County Sheriff's Office reports. His bail on all the charges is set at $10,150.

The sheriff's office had asked for the public's help in finding the person who stole a box of Monopoly, Taxes Paid, Cash Bonanza and Mega Money scratch-off tickets from the grocery. Detectives initially suspected the thief had help from a lookout, but they later reconsidered, sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll said.

Surveillance camera images showed two men entering Sweetbay and pausing by the Western Union counter at the front of the store, authorities said. One of the men pried the clear plastic box off the counter, put it in a shopping bag and walked out.

Store personnel didn't notice the lottery box was missing until a customer asked for a ticket about 9:30 p.m.

A man identified as Sessions later was seen cashing in some of the lottery tickets at a Citgo gasoline station, Doll said.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis contributed to this report. Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT