Citrus Park Best Buy Targeted in 2 Separate Thefts

The Best Buy in Citrus Park wasn’t offering laptops for free in advance of the holiday shopping season, but it seems some people didn’t get the memo.

The store was targeted in two separate incidents in recent months where thieves walked into the store and then walked out with expensive laptops they didn’t pay for.

Now, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies are turning to Carrollwood area residents for help identifying the suspects in both cases.

The first incident took place Oct. 29 when three people entered the 12675 Citrus Plaza Drive store and left with two laptops. The suspects in this case are said to have stuffed the computers into a woman’s leopard print purse before departing the store.

They are described as:

• Suspect 1: A black male between the age of 30 and 40 who is about 230 to 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and dark jeans.
• Suspect 2: A black teen between 15 and 18 years of age. He was last seen wearing a striped shirt and black pants.
• Suspect 3: A black woman between the age of 20 and 30. She is between 140 and 150 pounds and was carrying a leopard print purse and wearing a brown skirt.

The second incident took place Nov. 1 at the same store. In this incident, a white man between the age of 30 and 40 years is said to have walked into a bathroom with a laptop. Once there, he removed the packaging and stuffed the $999 computer into his shorts.

This suspect weighs between 150 and 180 pounds and was last seen wearing a yellow polo shirt and khaki shorts.

Anyone with information about either case is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 813-247-8200. Tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-873-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be reported anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or by texting "CSTB plus your tip" to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637). Crime Stoppers tips can result in a cash reward.