Authorities Look for Leads on Marble Vandals

Authorities are looking for help from the public to identify suspects involved in at least 30 criminal mischief cases throughout the county since Sept. 12.

The targets have mostly been vehicles and occupied and unoccupied businesses throughout the county including in Dunedin, Clearwater and Palm Harbor.

Deputies believe the vandals are responsible for at least 15 reports of such activities during the early morning hours at addresses on Main Street, Broadway and Bayshore Boulevard.

In nine cases, glass marbles were shot into windows, breaking them. In three cases, paintballs were shot at victims, leaving minor injuries like red marks and bruises on two people, according to police. In the other cases, BB guns and other unknown projectiles were used to break windows.

Although there are different suspect vehicle descriptions, detectives think the incidents are related and the same perpetrators are involved.

The suspects are described as white men in their mid-20s. The driver in one incident is described as a 26-year-old, about 5-foot-10 and 250 pounds with dark hair and a beard, according to Clearwater Police.

The three vehicles police are looking for include:

• A dark, full-size pickup with a metal upright rack on the tailgate
• A white pickup
• A gold four-door pickup with dark tint and railings on both sides of the truck bed

Incidents in Dunedin include:

(Overnight Aug. 4-5)

• Muchee's, 2100 Bayshore Blvd.
• , 2412 Bayshore Blvd.
• , 1000 Broadway
• A private residence in the 1100 block of Broadway
• , 1107 Main St.

(Overnight Aug. 9-10)

• , 1140 Main St.

(Overnight Aug. 29-30)

• Private residence in the 1000 block of Chablis Court

(Sept. 23-26)

• , 1276 Main St.
• , 778 Main St. (struck twice)

(Overnight Nov. 2-3)

• , 1000 Broadway (struck twice)

(Overnight Nov. 19-20)

• Roman & Roman Personal Injury Law, 2274 Main St. (State Road 580)
• , 2194 Main St.

Police say at least 30 criminal mischief incidents, three cases of battery and a report of shooting a deadly missile could be related. Ten incidents occurred Nov. 21-22, police said, and seven more have happened since then. The most recent rash of crimes was Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 last week, mainly in Clearwater, Largo and Belleair, authorities report.

In Palm Harbor,  in the shattered back window of a 2003 Kia Sedona parked at 1549 Alternate U.S. 19 (Sept. 18-19), authorities report.

Clearwater Police are offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the identity or location of the suspects. Call the Clearwater Police tip line at 727-562-4080 (press 2), send a tip anonymously via text message to to 847411 (tip411), or submit anonymous tips through the Clearwater Police website or Facebook page.