PORT ST. LUCIE — In what appears to be a commode caper, someone kicked open the locked front door of a home and absconded with a toilet from the guest bathroom, according to a recently released police report.

The toilet taker also stole “several items of miscellaneous camping equipment” from the garage of the residence in the 1100 block of Southwest Empire Street. (more…)

STUART — Police said they took a man into custody Wednesday after he bought a stolen iPhone and tried returning it to its owner.

Johnny Harris, 29, of the 7700 block of Southeast Kingsway Street, Hobe Sound, was charged with dealing in stolen property. He was being held at the Martin County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Stuart police said a house burglary happened Monday in which the intruders took the iPhone, according to the arrest affidavit. Harris told police he ran into someone Tuesday night who sold it to him for $175, the affidavit said.

The owner of the iPhone contacted Harris, who agreed to a rendezvous in the 2300 block of South Federal Highway to return the device. When Harris arrived, officers took him into custody. Police said in the affidavit that Harris should have known the phone was stolen.
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STUART — Authorities are looking for a man who stole more than $6,000 in cash and checks from a convenience store Friday.

Employees at the Stuckey Shell station in the 8000 block of Southwest Jack James Drive, Stuart, called deputies about 11 a.m. Friday after the theft. An employee said she had been counting cash and preparing to load an ATM machine when she left a rear office at the store for a few minutes. When she returned, a plastic bag with the cash was missing, according to the incident report.
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SEBASTIAN — Police investigators said they uncovered a criminal enterprise involving ill-gotten prescription drugs, out-of-state pill smuggling and stolen auto parts when they searched a home last weekend.

Investigators spent 30 hours searching an undisclosed home late Friday and most of Saturday, said Sebastian Officer Steve Marcinik, police spokesman. Eight investigators recovered more than 3,000 pills with a street value of $60,000, as well as $6,500 worth of stolen property and $4,500 cash, investigators said.

“This shows a direct link between theft and the illegal prescription drug business,” Marcinik said.
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PORT ST. LUCIE — Alfredo Felipe opened his new barber shop in Port St. Lucie because he liked the hometown feel of the community.

Felipe, 33, never thought that a month after his grand opening, an odd theft would occur at his business, Fredo’s Barbershop Hair Trends International, 698 Southwest Port St. Lucie Blvd.

Felipe said his homemade, 7-foot barber pole, made out of Styrofoam, mesh, stucco and some light metal materials, was stolen between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. Friday at his shop.
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PORT ST. LUCIE — A man who reportedly “escaped” from a hospital told police he went in a house to get a drink of water, later noting he took a cold shower and grabbed some items from the residence, according to an arrest affidavit released Tuesday.

Justino Cruz, 27, went to jail on felony burglary and misdemeanor petit theft charges following the alleged Monday night incident on Southeast Berkshire Boulevard.

While the victims were telling police their home wasn’t as they left it, Cruz, of the 1500 block of Southeast Royal Green Circle, walked out of the backyard, according to a report.
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STUART — Vehicle tires were reported stolen from another auto dealer this week.

On Thursday morning, police were called to Carl’s Buick, Pontiac, GMC on U.S. 1 where tires and wheels from two sports utility vehicles had been stolen, according to a news release.

The SUVs were left sitting on blocks, spokesman Sgt. Marty Jacobson said. Other vehicles were found on blocks with the equipment still intact while there were also vehicles found partially on blocks, Jacobson said.

The value of the property stolen and damaged was in excess of $6,500.00.

On June 19, an officer found four trucks sitting on wooden blocks at the Advantage Ford dealership on U.S. 1.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Officer T.J. Delancy at 220-3900 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1(800) 273-TIPS.

PORT ST. LUCIE — About 20 Koi fish were reported stolen from a man’s back yard pond on Sunday.

The man told police he had gone into his yard on Dragon Street that morning and noticed that at least 20 of the fish were missing from his pond.

The man said the fish had a total value of about $600.

He also said he had had other Koi fish stolen before, about two months ago. He said that at that time, the thief shot out one of his spotlights.

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Port St. Lucie Police Department has a new weapon to use against criminals, and officers are asking residents to use it to protect themselves.

It’s an industrial-sized paper shredder, and the public is invited to the Civic Center from 10 a.m. to noon June 16 for the first Shred-a-Thon. Anyone can destroy sensitive documents for free.
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Linda Owens

Fort Lauderdale resident Linda Marie Owens, 51, was arrested in Wisconsin and extradicted back to Stuart, police spokesman Sgt. Marty Jacobson said.

Owens was charged based on the alleged diversion theft at the Sears Store, 3020 S. Federal Highway on May 5th, 2007 when she and an accomplice took money out of a cash register at that store, Jacobson said.