1 Arrested in St. Pete Home Invasion; 2nd Suspect Sought

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A Wednesday night home invasion in the St. Petersburg area has led to one arrest and the search for a second suspect.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, a 28-year-old woman was in her apartment in the 6500 block of 51st Avenue North just before 8:30 p.m. Oct. 12 when two men knocked on the door. The woman answered and found herself being threatened by a man with a handgun, an email from the sheriff’s office said. The man demanded the keys to the woman’s car. After receiving them, both men took off in the victim’s 2008 Lexus ES350, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies who were responding to the woman’s call for help noticed her Lexus near the intersection of 49th Street North and 54th Avenue North. A traffic stop was attempted, but deputies say the men fled in the vehicle northbound on 49th Street North. A pursuit was initiated, the email said. The Lexus turned around and began heading southbound.

During the pursuit, deputies say the Lexus was involved in a minor crash at 49th Street North and 54th Avenue North. A tire on the Lexus went flat at that point, the email said, but the car continued west on 54th Avenue North to 54th Street North before during into a neighborhood.

At that point, deputies followed and used a tactical PIT maneuver to stop the Lexus, the email said. The car struck a tree and both men jumped out.

With the help of K9 units, Richard Cann, 21, was found hiding in a swimming pool behind a home in the 5000 block of 54th Street North, the email said. Deputies did not find the second person.

A handgun was found inside the stolen Lexus.

Cann was charged with home invasion robbery with a deadly weapon, grand theft auto, fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and driving without a license.

The search for the second suspect continues. He is described as a black male who stands about 6-foot-2. He has dark skin with “very short ‘twist’ dreads,” the email noted. The man was last seen wearing a maroon shirt and black pants.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at 727-582-6200. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-873-TIPS or by going online to www.crimestoppersofpinellas.org.

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