Clearwater Police detectives arrested a Largo man late Friday in connection with an incident at Costco at Clearwater Mall earlier in the day.

Largo Man Arrested For Fake Bomb Report In Florida Costco, Charged In 2020 Stealing 46′ Yacht

Clearwater Police detectives arrested a Largo man late Friday in connection with an incident at Costco at Clearwater Mall earlier in the day.
Donnovan Jester, 31 (CPD)

CLEARWATER, Fla – Clearwater Police detectives arrested a Largo man late Friday in connection with an incident at Costco at Clearwater Mall earlier in the day.

Donnovan Jester, 31, was charged with false report of a bomb and booked into the Pinellas County Jail.

The incident began just before 1:30 p.m. Friday when a suspicious envelope was found inside the store.

A note inside the envelope referenced a “biological threat” and “explosive device.”

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The store was evacuated of all shoppers and employees for more than three hours.

Police K-9 personnel and hazardous materials crew members from Clearwater Fire & Rescue and surrounding agencies responded to the scene; no evidence of any real threat was found.

Jester was charged with grand theft of a vessel in 2020.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies say Jester stole the 46-foot 2019 Jeanneau Leader with a value of $899,179 in March of 2020.

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According to an arrest report, he cruised off but slammed into four channel-marker pilings and quickly abandoned the boat, leaving it to drift into an oyster bed.

Deputies say they found a left thumbprint on the cabin door that was matched to Jester.

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