Woman arrested after a witness reported a vehicle burglary at a parking lot, leading to a chase
By: One man's phone call led to the arrest of a traveling criminal across county lines.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) said on Tuesday at 12:37 p.m., a man called police reporting a burglary at the Aldi on SW St. Lucie West Blvd.
The man told police he was meeting his wife at the grocery store. When he entered the parking lot, he saw a woman - who was not his wife - enter his wife's car.
The PSLPD said the man confronted the woman, and she told him she mistook the car for her sister's. She proceeded to walk about five spots away to her car, a Lexus, and left the scene. The caller was able to provide the license plate number to police as she drove off.
Police said the details were passed onto the Indian River County Sheriff's Office (IRSCO) shortly before 1:30 p.m. The suspect's car was spotted and deputies initiated a pursuit.
The sheriff's office said the suspect - later identified as 38-year-old Shaquita Williams from Port St. Lucie - got off I-95 in Vero Beach and went to a shopping center along SR60, 5915 20th Street, and scouted cars to try and commit more crimes.
Deputies said Williams actually entered another car. That's when undercover deputies apprehended her at the shopping center. IRSCO also used a helicopter to locate her.
IRSCO said it is charging Williams with auto burglary and crossing county lines to commit crime. The police department said it plans to charge Williams with one count of burglary to an unoccupied vehicle, a warrant application is currently underway to the sheriff's office.