Police: Man Used Dirt, Two-By-Four to Attempt Car Break-Ins at Papa John's

When simply opening the door handles of two cars parked outside the new Papa John's in Seminole Heights didn't work, a would-be car buglar is accused of trying to use dirt and a two-by-four to try to break in.

Employees at the pizza shop, at 512 E. Hillsborough Ave., observed Carl DeAtley, 42, trying to open the doors of both vehicles around 1:30 a.m. last Friday, June 22, according to a Tampa Police report.

Before the police arrived, DeAtley fled on foot and was not able to be located by responding officers. But an hour after his first attempt, DeAtley returned to the vehicles and attempted to enter them again by trying the door handles, authorities said.

After failing again, he picked up a large nearby hunk of dirt and attempted to break the window of a Hyundai by throwing the dirt at it. When this didn't work, he then found a nearby piece of two-by-four wood and began striking the windows of both vehicles. This, too, proved unsuccessful, and he fled the parking lot on foot after being confronted by the store employees.

Numerous units, including patrol and Rapid Offender Control, responded to the scene and began a search. Officers located DeAtley a block over on East Giddens Avenue and took him into custody without incident based on the description provided.

DeAtley was positively identified by store employees and other nearby witnesses. Additionally, the second incident was captured via video surveillance, which led to a confession, police said.

DeAtley was charged with attempted burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and attempted petit theft and was being held in Hillsborough County Jail this week on $1,125 bond.

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