June 28, 2023 – Port Charlotte, FL
On Saturday, June 24, deputies responded to Kohl’s in Port Charlotte and intercepted three suspects who were attempting to steal nearly $6,000 worth of merchandise as part of a statewide trend of organized retail theft.
Just after 1:00pm on Saturday, June 24, Charlotte County deputies received a call from a Loss Prevention Associate at Kohl’s department store on Cochran Blvd. in Port Charlotte. The associate advised that there were three individuals in the store who were observed concealing merchandise in bags and a red suitcase. He noted that he recognized one of the individuals from a past theft and was watching them closely for this reason.
Deputies responded and positioned themselves in the parking lot outside the store. The suspects exited and noticed the deputies outside, causing them to retreat back into the store and drop the merchandise on the floor. They then attempted to leave as a deputy approached on foot. The suspects then split up and ran in different directions in an attempt to avoid the deputy. One suspect, identified as Davaja Ford (8/16/2000) was detained, while another suspect, identified as Dontavious Thomas (10/23/1995), fled toward the back of the building. Thomas was intercepted by another deputy and taken into custody. While this occurred, a third deputy apprehended Tamesha Davis (2/11/1992), who was also attempting to flee. Davis has been convicted of multiple retail thefts in the past and is currently on felony probation for grand theft out of Lee County that started on June 21. A search of each suspect was conducted, and an antitheft device removal tool was located inside of a purse carried by Thomas.
The suspects attempted to steal merchandise with a total value of $5,766.94. This was an organized attempt and is part of a statewide trend.
I want to thank the Loss Prevention Associate at Kohl’s for his quick thinking in contacting us, and I also want to recognize my deputies for their immediate response which led to these three being taken into custody. These three are now in the ‘Find Out’ phase of their poor choices, with one proving that she simply didn’t learn her lesson last time, placed on probation just 3 days prior to this incident.
SHERIFF BILL PRUMMELL