Sarasota County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 59-shoplifters in an 8-day crackdown that had them teamed up with local retailers. The Herald-Tribune reports Sheriff Tom Knight says the suspects were not amateurs, but professional boosters tied to a crime ring that would sell the merchandise to pawn shops. “Operation Booster Buster” ended in 41 felonies and 58 misdemeanor charges being filed against the suspects. Deputies concentrated on two retail corridors: Cattlemen Road just south of Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota, and U.S. 41 south of Jacaranda Boulevard in Venice.
