Bradenton Beach police asked the 12th Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office to decide if a crime was committed in a “he said, she said” case stemming from an October neighborhood garage sale.
Bradenton Beach resident Shelly Wheeler alleged she was the victim of a theft Oct. 30, according to the report for the investigation filed by Det. Sgt. Lenard Diaz.
In her complaint, Wheeler said she often has garage sales and, for a sale Oct. 23-25, she said she had assistance from two people recommended by a friend.
Wheeler told Diaz her friend had enlisted the help of a man and woman with several garage sales and called the man “a good salesman.”
For the garage sale Oct. 23-25, the man and woman helped price items and facilitated sales and the woman collected money, Wheeler told Diaz.
For their efforts, they were to get a portion of the proceeds.
At the end of the sale, the woman said she and the man would take the money home to count and divide the proceeds, according to Wheeler’s complaint.
But the pair did not return.
Wheeler estimated $3,000-$4,000 was collected at the garage sale. But, she told Diaz, the man told her only about $1,000 was received at the sale before the split. He also told her he used some proceeds to pay his children, who helped at the sale.
After Wheeler filed her affidavit Dec. 2, Diaz called the man and got conflicting stories. According to the police report, the man first insisted only $800 was made from the sale.
And when Diaz informed him that Wheeler wanted charges filed against him and the woman, the man said he would borrow $1,000 to pay Wheeler.
Wheeler refused the offer to recoup $1,000.
Diaz sent a capias to the state’s attorney’s office Dec. 14 asking the office to determine if charges should be filed.
The state’s attorney’s office typically takes 15-30 days for a determination, Diaz said.
She’s claiming to make $3000-$4000 per garage sale, has them often, and has hired help. Sounds to me like she’s running a business. I sure hope she’s zoned and has the license for it.