One woman remains in custody and another is free on bail in connection with a number of so-called ‘smash and grab’ burglaries from vehicles in Hernando and six other counties. A third woman allegedly connected to the cases remains at large.
Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Coordinator Kasey Johnson said that HCSO detectives had been investigating the circumstances surrounding a string of burglaries at Weeki Wachee Springs and Silverthorn Country Club involving the smashing of vehicle windows and the theft of items such as credit cards and other valuables contained inside. They had also been in touch with colleagues from the Sheriff’s Offices in Citrus, Pasco, Orange, Hillsborough and St. Lucy counties who were investigating similar cases there.
On Oct. 27, staff at the Target store at 4401 Commercial Way in Spring Hill told detectives that 31-year-old Laquada Tamia Davis, who had several active warrants in Hernando County, was in the store making purchases, Johnson said.
Detectives arrived at the scene in an unmarked vehicle and found that Davis had left the Target store but saw her vehicle entering the Lowe’s parking lot nearby.
Johnson said that Davis got out of her vehicle and entered the store, where she was seen making a large purchase using a credit card that had been recently stolen from a vehicle in Hernando County.
Davis tried to flee when she spotted the deputies inside the store. She resisted arrest but was taken into custody by investigators who found her in possession of several debit and credit cards, which had been reported stolen in other vehicle burglaries.
While deputies pursued Davis into the store, another woman, later identified as She’Maliz Olivia Toccara May, got out of Davis’ vehicle and attempted to warn her that law enforcement was on its way into the store.
May was arrested without incident by deputies who were watching the vehicle in the parking lot. A third unidentified suspect fled the scene.
Both Davis and May refused to speak to detectives or cooperate with the investigation, but through the closed windows of Davis’ vehicle, they could see personal identification information, wigs, clothing and other items that could be used to create a disguise.
On Oct. 30, acting on a warrant, detectives searched the vehicle and found Target shopping bags containing the merchandise that Davis had obtained allegedly using the stolen credit cards as well as several differently styled wigs, medical masks matching those worn by Davis in store surveillance video.
The clothing matching the description of the third suspect was also found inside the car. Also found was evidence connected to similar Hillsborough County cases.
Davis was subsequently arrested and charged with seven counts of fraud impersonation, using/possessing the ID information of another person without consent, five counts of the unarmed burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, one count of fraud for the illegal use of credit cards that were used more than twice in six months, and one count of resisting arrest. She is being held at the Hernando County Detention Center without bond.
May was arrested and booked into the Hernando County Detention Center on one count of being an accessory after the fact. She is free on bond.
All told, Davis’ arrest closed 11 Hernando County cases totaling between $5,000 and $10,000, Johnson said. Personal items connected to the Hillsborough cases will be returned to their owners.
