Five Arrested in Sarasota Crime Ring; Two at Large

Five members of a south Florida crime ring were arrested Tuesday after they allegedly committed several vehicle burglaries in Sarasota, then used the victims’ credit cards at area stores, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Marcus Thomas, 27; Christopher Pierre, 24; Jackie McBurrows, 25; Lionel Bain Jr., 29; and Nick Arline, 29; all of Fort Lauderdale, face a total of 49 charges, including multiple counts of vehicle burglary, criminal use of personal information, fleeing to elude and providing false names to law enforcement while legally detained.

On Tuesday around 7 p.m. two women noticed their purses were stolen from inside their vehicles outside of Funtastics Gymnastics & Cheerleading on Ashton Road, according to a report. The burglars had smashed the windows to obtain the items, the report states.  

While deputies were investigating that crime, they received reports that three additional vehicle burglaries at Twin Lakes Park on Clark Road.

A sheriff's office tactical unit was able to track the thieves with their stolen credit card purchases within the hour, the report said. Deputies located two “suspicious looking vehicles,” a 2012 Chrysler 200 and a silver 2004 Cadillac SUV, at the Walmart on Cattleman Road; the vehicles were pulled over for tint violations as they were leaving the parking lot, the report states.

Detectives were able to verify the five suspects allegedly made fraudulent purchases by viewing surveillance video.

The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending. Sheriff's spokesperson Wendy Rose said detectives are trying to locate additional suspects, including a woman seen using one of the victim’s credit cards at CVS in the 5200 block of Clark Road.

Anyone with information about these suspects is encouraged to call Criminal Investigations at 941-861-4900 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477), or online atwww.sarasotacrimestoppers.com or via text message by texting TIP109 plus a message to CRIMES (274637).

Rose said residents can avoid such burglaries if they don't leave valuable items in their parked cars.