A man was recently arrested for stealing over $20,000 worth of gold bars in Central Florida.
On the 14900 block of Aire Place in Tampa, a suspect approached a UPS driver, claiming a package was his. After checking the identification, the driver handed over the package. The ID was fraudulent, and the owner reported the theft.
Through investigative means, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives learned that 33-year-old Vitalijs Apetenoks is the suspect in the doorbell camera video.
A warrant was issued for his arrest for the gold bar theft in Central Florida. Apetenoks was arrested in New Jersey, when he tried to leave the country from Newark Airport.
According to local law enforcement, Apetenoks was charged with Fraudulent Use of Personal Information, Organized Fraud $20,000 to $50,000, and Grand Theft Second Degree.
“Stealing from our community will not be tolerated, and fleeing our state won’t stop us from catching you,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “We’ll continue to pursue these criminals and make sure anyone involved in these thefts faces the full consequences.”
The gold bar theft is an active Central Florida investigation, according to law enforcement.
