Fingerprint on Stolen Scratch-Off Foils Munchee's Robbery Suspect, Detectives Say

A fingerprint lifted from a stolen lottery ticket is the key piece of evidence authorities used to find the suspect in a string of recent Dunedin convenience store robberies.

Pinellas County Sheriff's detectives arrested Trevor David Winsett, 24, of 402 North Carolina Ave. in Palm Harbor, late Thursday, Feb. 7, in connection with two robberies and a recent smash-and-grab burglary of 100 scratch-off lottery tickets at Munchee's, 2100 Bayshore Blvd.

Detectives say Winsett gave the lottery tickets from the Jan. 29 burglary to his brother to repay a debt. Winsett's brother went with his girlfriend to cash the winning tickets a few hours later at a Palm Harbor 7-Eleven, two miles north of the burglary at 100 Alt. U.S. 19, according to detectives. (The couple was captured in a video surveillance photo that Pinellas County Sheriff's detectives released to the media on Feb. 5.)

Fingerprints lifted from the ticket were linked to Winsett's brother, which ultimately linked detectives to Winsett.

Deputies believe Winsett is the suspect captured in surveillance video who smashed a window to get inside Munchee's shortly before 6 a.m. on Jan. 29, then went behind the counter, pulled about 100 scratch-off lottery tickets, took several packs of cigarettes, and put them all in a garbage bag he found near the register.

During the investigation, detectives were able to link Winsett to two other recent robberies, occurring Feb. 1 and Jan. 17, at the same Munchee's.

Winsett is alleged to have walked behind the counter late Feb. 1 with a bandanna over his face, and order the clerk to open the register and safe. He allegedly fled with an undisclosed amount of cash and cigarette packs.

He also allegedly robbed a Munchee's clerk at gunpoint on Jan. 17 for an undisclosed amount of cash, scratch-off lottery tickets and spice products.

Winsett was arrested and charged with one count of burglary, two counts of robbery and one count dealing in stolen property. He is in custody at Pinellas County Jail on at least $75,000 bond.

The Sheriff's Robbery and Homicide Unit, Burglary and Pawn Unit and Crime Scene Investigation Unit are continuing to investigate.

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Previous Coverage:

• Munchee's Lotto Ticket Thief Linked to Other Robberies