SARASOTA COUNTY SHERIFF TOM KNIGHT HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE MONDAY TO ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS OF OPERATION MELTDOWN, A TWO-WEEK INTENSIVE EFFORT TO CRACK DOWN ON METAL THEFTS AND BURGLARIES IN THE COUNTY. KNIGHT SAID THE EFFORT FOCUSED ON TWO PRIMARY CRIME PATTERNS; THE THEFT OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF METALS FROM AIR CONDITIONERS, LIGHT POLES, HOME SIDING, AND MORE. THIEVES WOULD TAKE MATERIALS TO SECONDARY RECYCLERS AND EXCHANGE THEM FOR CASH. THE OTHER PATTERN WAS DAYTIME BURGLARIES WHERE SUSPECTS BREAK INTO HOMES AND STEAL JEWELRY AND ITEMS TO BE SOLD TO EITHER PAWN SHOPS OR GOLD BUYERS. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 62 ARRESTS WHICH NETTED 67 FELONY AND 39 MISDEMEANOR CHARGES, ALONG WITH THE RECOVERY OF 2 STOLEN VEHICLES AND 2 STOLEN TRAILERS, THE SEIZURE OF 2 VEHICLES FOR FORFEITURE, AND THE RECOVERY OF 185 POUNDS OF METALS. KNIGHT THANKED THE RECYCLING BUSINESSES AND PAWN SHOPS THAT COOPERATED WITH THE OPERATION, AND HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL SEEK AN UPDATED SECOND HAND DEALER ORDINANCE TO IMPEDE THE SALE OF STOLEN PROPERTY AND IDENTIFY THOSE WHO ARE TRAFFICKING IN STOLEN GOODS.
