Police Seek Help Identifying Man Who Pretended to Be Homeowner, Robbed Landscapers

Detectives seek the public's assistance in identifying the suspect in an armed robbery at a St. Petersburg home, at 5140 22 St. North. They released a video today of the suspect making a purchase at a 40th Avenue North gas station.

They are asking the members of the public if they recognize him.

The Feb. 1 armed robbery at the St. Petersburg involved a suspect who posed as the homeowner and then robbed landscapers who came by the house to discuss their services.

Police have released an image of the suspect that was taken when the alleged robber made a purchase at the Mobile Gas Station, 101 40 Ave. North. No crime occurred at the station.

The three victims had visited the St. Petersburg home after getting a request for an estimate from a caller, who did not identify himself by name. He told the owner of the landscaping company that the work to be done was at his grandmother's residence.

According to police: The three victims arrived at about 8:30 a.m. and were met by the suspect who identified himself as the grandson. He started to escort the victims around to the rear of the house where a second suspect was waiting.

The first suspect produced a large handgun and demanded the gold necklace hanging around the neck of one of the victims and then ordered all three victims to the ground, where their cell phones were taken. No money was taken from the victims, although they were carrying cash.

Both suspects then left the area and the victims went to a nearby house to call the police. The alleged grandmother's residence they had been summoned to was found to be vacant.

One victim, the owner of the landscaping company, reported to detectives that he recognized suspect No. 1 from a brief encounter a few days earlier at the Mobile Station at 101 40th Avenue. He remembered that the suspect was staring at his gold necklace very intently.

The suspect made a purchase of gas and cigarettes at the store and then left
in a 1990s model Nissan, light electric blue in color four door with 19 inch chrome rims with blue accents. The victim believes the suspect must have been attracted to his necklace and used the advertised phone number on his truck to call him and set up the robbery.

Robbery detectives are asking that anyone who may recognize the suspect or
have any information about the robbery to contact Detective Robert Anderson at
727-892-5910 or the Tip Line at 727-892-5000 or Text a Tip at 727-420-8911.