Behind the Headlines
If you have any information about these crimes or any person(s) involved, you are urged to call SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477) or click the Submit a Tip button to anonymously provide information. We want your information, not your name! We will pay a cash reward of up to $3,000 if your tip leads to an arrest.
Early morning armed robber at large
May 31, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying and tracking down the man who held up a Lehigh Acres convenience store at gunpoint early this morning.
Around 3 a.m., the gunman walked into the 7-Eleven, located at 4325 Lee Boulevard. The suspect demanded all the cash from the register, while brandishing a small caliber chrome semi-automatic gun. Once he was given the money, the suspect fled on foot heading west towards Gunnery Road. He is described as a black male, 5’10” and approximately 20 years old, who wore a white and black motorcycle mask with teeth printed over the nose and mouth area, and gloves which were yellow on the back and red inside the palm area. Detectives say the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.
Anyone with information on the suspect or his current whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Bank robbery suspect sought in Punta Gorda
May 30, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying and tracking down an unknown suspect who robbed a Punta Gorda bank this afternoon.
At approximately 2:17 p.m. on May 30th, the suspect entered the BB&T Bank, located at 2390 Tamiami Trail. The suspect implied to the teller that he was armed, and demanded all the cash from the register. Upon receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, he fled across the front of the bank on foot in an unknown direction. He is described as a white male in his late 40s or early 50s, and wore a tan ball cap, blue short sleeved shirt, blue jean shorts and sandals during the robbery.
Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Suspects sought in grand theft
May 30, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying two men suspected in a grand theft that occurred at a North Fort Myers gas station.
The victim pulled up to the Sunoco gas station, located at 19451 SR 31, around 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 20th. After removing a briefcase from the car to retrieve one of his credit cards, the victim proceeded to pump gas while talking on the phone. The man apparently became distracted and accidentally left the briefcase next to the pump as he pulled away. Surveillance video showed at least two white males in a white Ford F150 pick up parked nearby. Once the victim cleared the area, the men grabbed the suitcase filled with nearly $3,500 in money and items and fled in an unknown direction. Some of the items taken during the theft include an Apple laptop computer, ear pods, several credit cards, and $500 in cash.
Anyone with information on the identities and whereabouts of the suspects are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3tips mobile app.
Suspect sought after robbing senior citizen
May 13, 2018
STATUS: ARRESTED
** UPDATE #1 **
The woman suspected of robbing a senior citizen at a North Fort Myers gas station on Thursday night is now in law enforcement’s custody.
Earlier this afternoon, detectives arrested Jeannettte Harned (DOB 4/27/67) and charged her with robbery by sudden snatching and possession of cocaine. Harned is a repeat offender and a criminal registrant with a lengthy history of theft, dealing in stolen property and numerous probation violations.
She is currently being held in the Lee County Jail.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE: MAY 11, 2018
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying and tracking down a woman who boldly robbed a senior citizen of his cash at a North Fort Myers gas station last night.
Shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, the 80 year old victim walked into Love’s Travel Stop, located at 17308 Park 78 Drive, with the suspect following close behind. She waited for the man to pay the cashier, then followed him back to his car. While the man was pumping gas, the suspect physically went into the pockets of the man’s pants and removed all of his cash. The woman then ran across the parking lot, and although the victim attempted to catch up with her, she quickly left the area in a black pick-up truck.
The suspect is described as a white female, in her 40s, approximately 5’2” and 110 pounds. Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the female felon is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Crime Stoppers triples maximum reward amounts
May 11, 2018
In an effort to encourage more anonymous tips on unsolved cases and wanted fugitives, Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers has made a jump in the maximum reward it can provide for information that leads to an arrest.
Effective immediately, rewards will increase from up to $1,000 to a cap of up to $3,000. The maximum amount given would typically be for information leading to an arrest in a homicide case, however the increased reward could impact other tips, as well.
“While we hope that tipsters are providing information because it’s just the right thing to do, we understand that money is a motivating factor,” said Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers Coordinator. “By tripling the maximum reward we can provide, we hope that will motivate certain individuals who have information on violent crimes to come forward, still with the cloak of anonymity.”
The Board of Directors for Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers approved the increase unanimously during its monthly board meeting on Thursday.
Tips needed to ID robbery suspects
May 04, 2018
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying and tracking down two unknown suspects who robbed a man in Lee County last Friday night.
The victim left Bruno’s Market, located at 15600 McGregor Boulevard, around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 27th. As he was walking towards a friends house, a black male approached the victim and struck him in the face. As the victim was starting to recover from the unexpected strike, a second male walked up and hit the victim in the back of the head. The men then started grabbing at the victim’s pockets and demanded all the money and items he had on him. The suspects proceeded to reach into the victim’s front pocket, and grabbed his money clip containing $159.00 in cash, then fled the area. Both suspects were heard laughing and joking about the robbery as they slowly jogged away.
Surveillance video shows the two suspects pulling up to the store shortly before the robbery. The first suspect is a black male, approximately 5’8”, 200 pounds, and wore a do rag, a black long sleeved t-shirt and black pants with expensive white and silver high top sneakers. The second suspect is approximately 6’0” tall, with long dreadlocks tied in a knot on the top of his head. The men were seen leaving the area in a dark colored Chevrolet sedan.
Anyone with information on the identities and whereabouts of the suspects are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Armed duo robs Lee County bank
April 30, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help tracking down two men who held up a Lee County bank at gunpoint this morning.
At 10:02 this morning, two men entered the Capital Bank, located at 12205 Metro Parkway. Both suspects immediately jumped the counter and, while displaying semiautomatic firearms, physically removed all the money from the drawer. After getting an undisclosed amount of cash placed into a dark colored sack, the men fled the area in a small white SUV, which was found shortly thereafter along Plantation Road.
The suspects were black males who were wearing tan pants, black sweaters or sweatshirts, ski masks, white gloves and blue high top sneakers. They are between 5’8” and 5”10”, 180 pounds and both in their early to mid-twenties.
Anyone with information on the identities and whereabouts of the suspects are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Car burglars target Stoneybrook subdivision
April 30, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying two young men believed to be involved with a string of car burglaries in the Stoneybrook community of Lee County over the last two weeks. One of the victims home surveillance system captured images of the young men going from car to car in an attempt to gain access. Locked cars were quickly dismissed, while unlocked cars provided opportunities for the suspects to steal cash and electronics. In a similar car burglary last week, in that same community, a gun was stolen from one of the unlocked cars.
“Car burglaries are crimes of opportunity and drivers make it very easy for the bad guys to commit these crimes when they leave their doors unlocked,” said Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers Coordinator. “No matter how safe we think our neighborhoods are, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and ensure that all valuables are brought into the house at the end of the day and that all car doors are locked and secure.”
Anyone with information on the suspects involved in these car burglaries is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3tips mobile app.
Note: The video link for the surveillance video of the suspects is provided below.
Suspect sought in Sunday morning robbery
April 29, 2018
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying and tracking down an unknown suspect who robbed a Lee County convenience store this morning.
Just after 9:40 a.m. today, an unidentified male walked into the 7-Eleven convenience store, located at 8100 College Parkway. The man handed the clerk a note demanding all the cash in the register, as well as money orders. The victim complied, and the suspect fled the store on foot, headed towards Whiskey Creek Drive.
He is a white male, approximately 6’0”, thin build, possibly in his mid to late 20s. Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the robbery suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers honored with regional awards
April 20, 2018
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers brought home three prestigious awards after attending the 37th annual Southeastern Crime Stoppers Association training conference in Atlanta, GA this week. For the 13th consecutive year, Crime Stoppers was named as the Most Productive Program in the Southeastern United States. This award recognizes the number of tips received over the course of 2017, the number of arrests, cases cleared, as well as the amount of narcotics and property seized from criminals as a direct result of anonymous tips. Also on the awards tally is recognition for the 2017 Advertisement of the Year for a public service announcement created with local School Resource Officers called “Tap the App,” which encouraged students to report crimes and suspicious activity in their schools through a free, mobile app. JoAnn Beaumont, Secretary for Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, was honored with the inaugural Freddi Moody Memorial Award from Anderson Software, which honors a Crime Stoppers volunteer who embodies extraordinary dedication to the non-profit organization. In addition to the awards, Coordinator Trish Routte was elected as President of the Southeastern Crime Stoppers Association, and is the first person from Southwest Florida to ever be elected to that position.
“The success of our program is a direct result of the community’s willingness to step up to the plate and provide us with critical information that parlays into arrests,” said Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers Coordinator. “Crime Stoppers always has, and always will, be dedicated to serving our community and working in partnership with the public and law enforcement to make Southwest Florida a safer place to live for all of us.”
Suspect clears shelves and steals razor refills
April 12, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying a man who stole more than $500 in razor blade refills from a Lee County store earlier this week.
On Tuesday, April 10th, an unknown black male entered the Publix store, located at 11851 Palm Beach Boulevard around 9:30 a.m. Surveillance video captured images of him pulling multiple razor refills off the shelves and place them into a green basket. The suspect then walked to the frozen food section, where he placed all of the cartridges into the pockets of his shorts. Minutes later, he left the store without stopping to pay for any of the items.
The suspect is described as 5’10”, 180 pounds, wearing a blue shirt, tan cargo shorts and flip flops. Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Robber dashes after stealing lotto tickets and cash
April 10, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying and tracking down a white male who robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store in Bonita Springs early this morning.
Just before 5 a.m., the suspect entered the 7-Eleven, located at 12661 Bonita Beach Road. He immediately went behind the counter and started grabbing lottery tickets. The suspect then turned to the store employee and demanded cash from the register. The clerk complied and, after receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled the area in a light colored SUV. He is described as a white male, approximately 5’8”, 140 pounds, in his late to mid 20s. The suspect was not armed during this morning’s robbery.
Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Knife wielding masked suspect robs Lee convenience store
March 22, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying an unknown suspect who robbed a College Parkway convenience store early this morning.
Just before 3 a.m., a black male, wearing a Spiderman-type mask, entered the 7-Eleven store, located at 8100 College Parkway. While brandishing a silver knife, the suspect demanded all the money from both of the registers. Once the clerk complied, the suspect ordered the woman to open up the front door for him, at which point he fled on foot in an unknown direction.
Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Late night armed suspect robs Lehigh store
March 19, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying an unknown black male who robbed a Lehigh Dollar General late last night.
Just after 10:30 p.m., the suspect walked into the Dollar General, located at 701 Gretchen Ave. S., and grabbed the cash drawer. As the man was walking towards the front door, he grabbed a black pistol from his waistband, making it clear to the store employee that he was armed. After seeing the gun, the employee halted his pursuit of the man, who fled the area in an unknown direction.
The suspect was wearing a black hoodie, black pants and a black hat at the time of the robbery. Anyone with information on the identity or whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com.
Suspect believed to be tied to early morning carjacking and robbery
March 14, 2018
STATUS: ARRESTED
** UPDATE #1 **
Within the last hour, detectives have charged Collin Martin, DOB 3/22/94, with Monday morning’s carjacking at the PDQ on S. Tamiami Trail, as well as the subsequent 7-Eleven armed robbery in south Lee County.
Martin was initially linked to the two violent crimes after deputies spotted the stolen vehicle yesterday evening. When an attempt was made to pull the driver of the grey Honda Insight over, the suspect led officers on a high speed chase which culminated on I-75 at mile marker 118. The driver, who was identified as Martin, was charged with fleeing and eluding police, reckless driving, driving without a license and six outstanding felony warrants. Late this afternoon, detectives were able to confirm Martin’s involvement in Monday morning’s carjacking and 7-Eleven robbery and have now charged him with one additional count of carjacking and one count of armed robbery.
Martin has a lengthy criminal history in Lee County, with a rap sheet that includes multiple counts of theft, fraud, escape and weapons related offenses. He is currently being held in the Lee County Jail without bond.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE: MARCH 12, 2018
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying a white male who detectives believe is responsible for both a carjacking and a convenience store robbery early this morning.
The first incident occurred at the PDQ restaurant, located at 12499 S. Cleveland Avenue shortly after midnight. After closing the business, the victim and a co-worker were in her car talking when a white male, wearing a grey and white bandana over his face, approached. The suspect pointed a gun at the couple and said that he didn’t want to harm them, but demanded to take the car. The driver and passenger complied, then began to follow the stolen 2010 grey Honda Insight in the co-workers car, initially headed northbound on S. Cleveland Avenue, then eventually southbound on S. Cleveland Avenue.
Just under an hour later, an armed robbery was reported at the 7-Eleven, located at 19911 Ryffel Way. The suspect was a white male, between 5’10” and 6’0”, wearing a white and grey bandana covering most of his face. He fled the store in a grey 2010 Honda Insight, which is believed to be the one stolen from PDQ.
Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the armed suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Suspects caught on camera using stolen credit cards
March 14, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying at least two women involved in a car burglary in which credit cards and personal identification information were stolen.
The victim parked her car next to a friend’s house on Summerlin Road while they were unloading purchases from a trip to the store. A few minutes later, the victim saw a dark four door sedan, occupied by two younger women wearing hooded sweaters. One of the women quickly exited the car and reached into the victim’s unlocked car, where she removed a handbook that contained several credit cards and her driver license.
Within an hour, the suspects attempted to use one of the stolen debit cards at a Bank of America ATM on S. Cleveland Avenue. Shortly thereafter, the suspects used a stolen card at the Walmart, located on S. Tamiami Trail in Estero.
Anyone with information on the identities and whereabouts of the suspects are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestopppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Reward increased for arrest of driver who killed beloved Bonita resident
March 06, 2018
STATUS: OPENOn August 11, 2016, an unknown driver barreled through the intersection of Nottingham Lane and Bonita Drive in Bonita Springs just before 8:30 a.m., and struck a 71 year old man riding his tricycle. The driver never stopped to render aid or even call 9-1-1, but instead chose to drive off. As a result of the crash, Lynn Brown lost his life that morning.
Now, the estate of Lynn Brown is offering an additional $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for the death of a man who was deeply cared for in the Bonita Springs community. This additional reward now brings the total to $2,000, which includes the $1,000 being offered by Crime Stoppers.
The hit and run death of Lynn Brown struck the Bonita community hard. Despite a physical disability, Brown lived a simple but fulfilled life. For years, he rode a bicycle from his modest trailer to Sneaky Pete’s restaurant in Bonita and sang karaoke with friends who became his adopted family. Brown never married and had no living relatives. Shortly before his death, friends of Brown’s raised money to buy him a new tricycle to commute on – which was the same tricycle that he was riding the morning he was struck and killed. Those same friends reached deep into the community to try to find out information on the person who killed Brown – to no avail.
After Brown’s passing, it was discovered that this Ohio native had set aside a portion of his monthly Social Security benefits to purchase a list of insurance policies, all to benefit charities that could help others, including the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Unicef and many others. Brown’s extraordinary legacy will now help countless individuals in their times of need. All of the charities named in Brown’s estate felt it was important to use some of those funds to help find the person who killed Brown, and to finally see justice served in this unsolved hit and run death.
Anyone with information on the person responsible for killing Lynn Brown in August 2016 is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers and $1,000 from Lynn Brown’s estate. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Suspect sought in early morning attempted robbery
February 28, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying and tracking down a young man who attempted to rob a Bonita Springs convenience store by pointing his finger early this morning.
Shortly after 2 a.m., a young male covering his face with a red shirt walked into the 7-Eleven, located at 4520 Bonita Beach Road. The suspect approached the store clerk with a pointed finger and demanded all the cash from the register. When the clerk refused, the man ran out of the store empty handed, and rode a white mountain bicycle northbound on Imperial Shores Boulevard.
He is believed to be in his early 20s, approximately 5’8” and 165 pounds. Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
Fort Myers Police Make Arrest In 2015 Zombicon Shooting
February 26, 2018
STATUS: ARRESTEDEarlier this morning, investigators from the Fort Myers Police Department, along with agents from the FBI, arrested Jose Raul Bonilla (DOB 01/14/1995, of Immokalee, Florida), for the shooting incident that occurred in Downtown Fort Myers on October 17, 2015, during the Zombicon event. Bonilla has been charged with one count of second degree murder, five counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of tampering with evidence. Bonilla was booked into the Lee County Jail this afternoon.
The Fort Myers Police Department would like to thank our partners at the FBI, The State Attorney’s Office, The Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, The Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their partnership and assistance with the investigation. We hope todays arrest will bring closure to the victims of the shooting. Especially for the family of Expavious Taylor who died as a result of Bonilla’s violent actions.
This case remains active and investigators are asking for anyone that may possibly have any information about this case to please contact Detective Wolfgang Daniel of the Fort Myers Police Department at (239) 321-8030. This is especially important for residents in the Immokalee area. Bonilla is from Immokalee and investigators believe he may have spoken about his crime to others.
Suspect caught on camera using stolen cards
February 22, 2018
STATUS: OPENSouthwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying a woman who tried to use stolen credit cards to make several hundred dollars worth of fraudulent purchases last weekend.
While at a San Carlos Boulevard miniature golf course with his family on Sunday, February 18, an unidentified person broke into the victim’s car and stole a purse, diamond earrings, credit and debit cards, as well as a police badge from an out of state law enforcement agency. When the victim returned to his car, which he thought he left locked, he noticed that the glove box was opened and the center console had been moved backwards.
Within two hours of the theft, an unidentified woman was seen on surveillance cameras attempting to use the stolen cards at the nearby Target, trying to purchase $420 worth of products. She attempted these purchases at 8:50 p.m. and then again at 8:59 p.m., with both charges declined.
Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.
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