Sheriff’s Office seeks help identifying suspect

The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying the man seen in the attached photos who attempted to steal about $500 items from the Marathon Home Depot on Friday before fleeing on foot.

Sgt. Kellenberger was called to the store at 4555 Overseas Highway Friday morning. Several employees told Sgt. Kellenberger they saw the suspect — a roughly, 5-foot-4, white male with a thin build in his 20s or 30s — enter the store with an empty military-style backpack. The employees said they saw the suspect again with what appeared to be a full backpack presumably full of items from the store. They stated they saw the suspect leave the store without paying.

Sgt. Kellenberger went to the parking lot and saw a white male matching the description. The suspect crouched down between some bushes and a wall with a camouflaged bag. The suspect picked up the bag and began to run away. Sgt. Kellenberger identified himself and gave chase. The suspect climbed the wall and jumped over a fence behind it into the mangroves. Sgt. Kellenberger continued to give chase. The suspect ran deeper into the mangroves while dropping the backpack. Sgt. Kellenberger tried to deploy his Taser, but he was unable to make contact with the suspect. Sgt. Kellenberger eventually stopped chasing the suspect given the deep mud and water in the mangroves.

The camouflaged Dakine Cyclone II® dry backpack contained a Moen® faucet, a LED dimmer switch, a 58 volt lithium ion battery, a plastic welder, a Ryobi® pump, a battery charger and one 5-hour ENERGY® drink from the Home Depot, all of which totaled $478 and was returned to the store.

 

Anyone with information about this crime should contact Sgt. Christian Kellenberger the Sheriff’s Office Marathon substation at 305-289-2430. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-471-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and if a tip leads to an arrest in the case, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward. Tips may also be submitted online at www.floridakeyscrimestoppers.com or via a text message using the smartphone app called P3 Phone. Tips can also be submitted via social media such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the @CrimeStoppers305 hashtag.

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