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Crime

Police catch SunTrust bank robber

Sarasota, Florida -- The man wanted in connection with the robbery of a Sarasota SunTrust is in police custody Wednesday.

Tellers told deputies the man entered the bank in the 5900 block of Katie Lane around 11 o'clock this morning, wrote a note saying "Got a Gun, you have 20 seconds" and handed it to the teller. He then pointed an object hidden inside a small zippered plastic bag at the teller. He put the money in plastic bag and fled on foot in the direction of Doctor's Hospital of Sarasota.

Police: Man steals from elderly friend to get car

Sarasota, Florida -- Police arrested a man who tricked an elderly woman into selling her car and then used the money to buy himself one.

Sarasota County detectives say James Sunday convinced his 86-year-old friend she needed to sell her 2008 Ford Escape because it was costing her too much money and that he would help her get a more affordable one.

Former medical assistant charged with prescription fraud

Sarasota, Florida -- A former medical assistant has been arrested for allegedly calling pharmacies with fake doctor's orders for pain medicine.

Investigators say Elizabeth Pennell called in multiple prescriptions for Hydrocodone to various pharmacies in Nokomis and Osprey from July through September. 

Pennell, 43, has been charged with 17 counts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud and is currently being held on $17,000 bond.

Prowler in Sarasota neighborhood linked to burglaries

Sarasota, Florida -- Deputies who arrested a man caught loitering outside a home recovered items from at least two different reported burglaries in his car.

Around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night, a neighbor noticed Aaron "Lala" Graham's 2001 Hyundai Sonata backed into an unoccupied home in the 6300 block of Beechwood Avenue and thought it was being burglarized and called police.

Neighbor catches teen burglars in the act

Sarasota, Florida -- An alert neighbor called the cops on two teens they saw breaking into a Sarasota home Monday morning.

First, the neighbor called the homeowner after he saw the teens go into the home in the 2300 block of Proctor Road. When the homeowner said no one should be in there, his helpful neighbor called police. 

When deputies got there, they found 18-year-old Michael Benedict and 19-year-old Theodore Denny in the northeast bedroom.

Police search for hit and run driver

Police search for hit and run driver

Venice, Florida -- Sarasota Police are searching for the driver involved in the hit and run of a motorcyclist on the evening of Sept. 23.

Authorities say the white, 1997-98 Ford Windstar van came to a stop at a red light near the intersection of US 41 and Arlington Street when a 2007 Honda motorcycle rear-ended the van. Yuri Devilbiss was ejected from the bike and landed in another southbound lane. Police say Devilbiss, 30, was then hit by the van as it fled the scene.

Devilbiss, of Venice, was flown to Blake Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. 

Pool cleaner steals over $8,500 in lawn statues

Sarasota, Florida -- A pool cleaner was arrested after police discovered he was moonlighting as a statue thief.

Detectives say 40-year-old Jason McMahon stole $8,500 worth of bird statues from at least three homes on Siesta Key and in Prestancia.

No, he didn't have an affinity for the statues and was keeping them for himself -- he was scrapping the bronze statues for cash. It is believed he scrapped some of the statues in Manatee County and police there are pursuing charges.