Ex-beach resident accused as beach blanket thief | Crime

Clearwater Beach, Fla. -- Police have arrested a 22-year-old Anita Lucas on charges she stole items from beach blankets on the north and south beach.

"Witnesses saw the suspect attempting to conceal T-shirts and a bottle of hot sauce from the Crabby Bills gift shop at 333 S. Gulfview Boulevard and contacted police," according to public safety spokesperson Elizabeth Watts. "When an Officer arrived on scene and attempted to speak with the suspect she ran. After a short foot pursuit, she was taken into custody."

Police said they found in her possession items several witnesses reported had been taken from beach blankets between the 300 block of South Gulfview and the 400 block of Mandalay Avenue.

A witness later reported seeing her going through one of the bags on the beach blanket but assumed she was known to property owners, police said.

Jail records show Lucas resided at 428 East Shore on the north beach between July 2009 and last November. During that time, she was arrested 8 times on such charges as possession of cocaine, fraudulent use of a credit card, possession, sale or delivery of oxycodone, possession of marijuana and retail theft.

On Thursday's arrest, she was charged with two counts of Grand Theft, Resisting Arrest without violence and Retail Theft. She was jailed in lieu of $4,300 bond.

"With Spring Break approaching (March 3- April 15), we want to remind beachgoers not to leave valuables unattended on the beach," Watts said. "We also ask anyone who notices suspicious activity to report it immediately to police."