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By KEITH MORELLI
The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA - A third man suspected in the smash-and-grab theft of a quarter-million-dollar necklace from the Northdale Sam’s Club in January is in custody. The whereabouts of the 82-carat collector’s piece remains a mystery.
Derrick James Denson, 20, who gave a local address of a motel room, turned himself in last week. Hillsborough County sheriff’s detectives didn’t immediately announce his arrest because, sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said, “There were other things we were working on this case.”
The necklace has not been found, she said this afternoon.
“But,” she said, “we are confident that it will be recovered.”
Denson was charged with grand theft, fleeing to elude, grand theft of an automobile, giving a false name to a law enforcement officer, obstruction without violence, dealing in stolen property and defrauding a pawnbroker. He remained in the Orient Road Jail today. Bail had not been set.
Sgt. Frank Greco said today that an arrest warrant has been issued for a fourth man, said to be the driver of one of two getaway cars. He said the pawn broker fraud charge on Denson was not connected to the necklace case.
The $263,000 necklace with pear-shaped diamonds was taken from Sam’s Club at 15835 N. Dale Mabry Highway on Jan. 23. It is a collector’s piece that is displayed at Sam’s Clubs throughout the state.
Security cameras in the store were rolling when two men walked up to the jewelry case inside the store, where the necklace was on display, next to its lavish price tag. One of the men smashed the display case with a hammer and grabbed the piece.
It was images from the surveillance cameras that spawned tips that led to the arrests, detectives said.
Previously arrested were Steven L. Lyles, 20, 13605 Platte Creek Circle, Apt. 1, Tampa, who is believed to have been the “hammer man” and Douglas Guzman Jr., 24, of Miami, said to be the lookout.
Both were charged with grand theft. Lyles was held without bail. Bail for Guzman, who, detectives say, was alongside Lyles when the display case was smashed, was set at $100,000. Both men remained in the Orient Road Jail today.
Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 865-1504 or .
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