Serial Robbery Suspect Charged in Another Crime

Shane Austin Hunter, who was accused of robbing House of Tans , has now been charged in connection to a weekend strong arm robbery, according to the Pasco County Sherif's Office.

Hunter was arrested in connection to the House of Tans robberies Tuesday. He was charged with three counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon.

On Wednesday, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office said Hunter was also being looked at as a person of interest in two weekend strong arm robberies: one on a woman outside Central Park Family Restaurant and another in which a 73-year-old woman was pushed and suffered injury. 

Both weekend incidents happened Sunday.

Hunter, of New Port Richey, was charged Thursday with strong arm robbery in the case of the robbery outside Central Park Family Restaurant.

Deputies say Hunter demanded the woman, a restaurant employee, give him her money and then reached into the front pocket of an apron tied around the woman’s waist and took her money. The woman is said to have fought Hunter to prevent him from taking her tip money.

A sheriff's office report said Hunter punched the woman in the stomach. Hunter left the scene.

After Hunter was arrested in connection to the House of Tans robberies, the restaurant employee saw his face on TV and called a Pasco Sheriff’s detective. She told the detective was the same person who robbed her.

Also, a ball cap that was found in Hunter’s apartment matched the description of the woman’s robber.

Hunter remained in jail Friday. He also has been charged with auto burglary.