PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Police are searching for a man and woman caught on surveillance stealing candles from a Bath & Body Works in Port St. Lucie.
The strong arm robbery happened at around 7:32 p.m. on May 13 at the Bath & Body Works at 10824 SW Village Parkway. Port St. Lucie police say the duo brazenly filled their suitcases with over $900 worth of stolen candles.
“If they walked out with it, that’s pretty ballsy,” said shopper Amanda Dimuro.
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Police say an employee tried to stop them but was threatened in the process.
“One of the suspects said to the person, ‘You don’t want to get shot do you,’ and basically the person backed off at that point,” said Port St. Lucie Assistant Chief Richard Del Toro.
The pair made off the the stolen items and and drove away in a blue Hyundai Elantra with a medical mask covering their license plate.
However, investigators say, they left behind a critical piece of evidence.
“The suspects left, they dropped one of the suitcases out in the parking lot, and we recovered one of those suitcases,” said Del Toro.
Candle Bandits from Miami are wanted for Strong Arm Robbery and Grand Theft #WantedWednesday. The suspects entered Bath and Body Works and proceeded to brazenly steal over $900 in candles before they fled in vehicle. Detectives picked up their scent and identified both suspects. pic.twitter.com/olbhgkHxM7
— Port St. Lucie PD (@PSLPolice) July 20, 2022
With the help of crime scene investigators and fingerprints, detectives identified the man and woman as Sammule Grate, 32, and Thomasina Carter, 29, from Miami.
Port St. Lucie police say this case is similar to other incidents that are happening across the nation, where thieves are targeting retail stores and stealing large amounts of items at once.
The pair now has arrest warrants for third degree grand theft and robbery, according to Port St. Lucie Police.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Grate and Carter is urged to contact detectives or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-TIPS.
