Suspect Charged in Toilet Part Theft from Clearwater Library

Update: Suspect Herman Acosta was also arrested last week and charged with committing similar crimes at several Largo fast food restaurants, police said.

Charges related to the Dunedin thefts were also referred to the State Attorney's Office, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Earlier:

Clearwater authorities believe they have arrested a toilet bandit responsible for missing pipes at Clearwater Main Library.

Herman Acosta, 43, was arrested Wednesday at his Clearwater home and charged with stealing toilet parts from the library last week, according to police.

Detectives say Acosta removed toilet pipes, along with their connecting valves, from two toilets in the men's restroom at Clearwater Main Library last week and sold them for scrap metal.

They were able to identify Acosta from library surveillance footage. 

He was charged with grand theft Wednesday evening, according to Clearwater Police.

The cost to replace the pipes is approximately $1,500, police report.

Three Sloan toilet pipes were reported missing from Dunedin Public Library on Oct. 10, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Toilet pipes went missing from the Clearwater Library on Oct. 11.

Similar crimes were also reported at the the Checkers on Gulf to Bay Boulevard and McDonald's, at 539 S. Missouri Ave., according to Clearwater Police.

Acosta is not charged for the missing pipes at those locations at this time.

The cases from Dunedin Public Library and the Dunedin Historical Museum are still under investigation, a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said Thursday.

Related Coverage:

• Toilet Parts Stolen From Dunedin Library