WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – It is not every day that a crime victim solves their own case before the police even arrive, but that is exactly what happened in Winter Haven last week. On Wednesday evening, January 21, a resident near Sears Lake in Jan Phyl Village found herself dealing with a stressful situation.
Someone had burglarized her home and taken off with her bicycle, which was valued at $500.
The victim didn’t just wait around after realizing her bike was gone. Later that same night, she spotted her bicycle about a mile away near the intersection of Coleman Road and Recker Highway.
READ: Haines City Fugitive Surrenders To Polk County Deputies Rather Than Lose A Car Window
She didn’t hesitate to take action. She reclaimed her property right then and there, but she also did one more smart thing before leaving. She snapped a few photos of the woman she found with the bike.
Those quick photos turned out to be the key to closing the case. The victim handed the pictures over to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
It didn’t take long for a breakthrough. One of the deputies looked at the image and immediately recognized the woman. He identified the suspect as 47-year-old Shayne Marie Robinson.
READ: Packers Lineman Handcuffed At LaGuardia In New York: The Honest Mistake That Led To Jail
Deputies caught up with Robinson shortly after, locating her near Coleman Road and Spirit Lake Road. She was taken into custody by the Sheriff’s Office.
Robinson has been charged with Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling and Grand Theft from a Dwelling.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
