Florida Thief Steals Police Car and Guns

9/25/00
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A 20-year law enforcement veteran left
his unmarked car running - with two guns in a bag under the driver's
seat - while he served some papers at a house Wednesday morning.

A sneaky thief slid behind the wheel, and whoosh, car and guns were
gone.

Pinellas County sheriff's Deputy Robert Wilson had a Beretta 9 mm
and a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver in a blue bag under the
seat of his 1999 Chevrolet Malibu.

A woman drove away with the car and guns about 9 a.m., when
Wilson was inside a residence at 2045 44th St. S. in St. Petersburg.

The car was found abandoned about an hour later, less than six blocks away.

The guns were traced to an ex-convict, 32-year-old Timothy Lee Dudley, aka
Timothy Johnson. Dudley had sold the guns for $150 each, authorities said.

After he was arrested, Dudley worked with detectives in arranging to get 
the guns back. At least one of the weapons had made it to Clearwater.

Authorities were still seeking the 24-year-old woman suspected of stealing 
the car.

Backup news staff writer Debby Mongeau


http://www.thebackup.com/newsdetail.asp?id=1314530000 

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