Local law enforcement officials have arrested 11 gang members out of a suspected 22 in total who have been involved in a string of smash and grab robberies (Florida Statute 812.13) in the Tampa area. Police had previously arrested nine of the suspected 22, leaving only two members at large. Nine of the total 22 gang members face potential life sentences for their involvement in the robberies.
The arrests come after a six month coordinated investigation by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's department and the Tampa Police Department. The target of the investigation was the local Drak gang, which police officials suspect has been responsible for many robberies in the Tampa area. Police officials said that one of the objectives of the raid was to discourage young people from entering the gang and to dismantle the gang's leadership. Police officials suspect that 14 businesses and homes have been targets of the gang in the last few months. One victim was Larry Butler, who owns a local pawn shop. Butler stated that his business is still recovering from the aftermath of the break in. "Still going to take awhile. Still cleaning up the glass. Everyday I come in and I find new pieces of glass laying around," Butler said. Police stated that most of the robberies occurred early in the morning with a crew of around four to seven people. They described this pattern as typically of so called "smash and grab" robberies. Police said that in 10 of the 14 robberies the gang would use a stolen car or SUV, drive it through the front of the targeted store and then collect the desired merchandise. Under Florida law breaking into a house or commercial property with a motorized vehicle is a life felony. The gang members would often be finished within in minutes, sometimes leaving the stolen vehicle in a mess of glass in front of the store.
