BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — A man broke into a Boca Raton convenience store, stole cigarettes, was caught on tape, then returned to the store hours later as police were in the convenience store viewing the surveillance tape of the break-in.
Thomas Whittaker is now charged with burglary and retail theft.
Here’s the official rundown from Boca PD:
On Wednesday, May 30 at just after midnight, Boca Raton Police officers investigated an alarm at the B Kwik store, 1921 North Federal Highway. When they arrived, they found the front door smashed, but a gate enclosing the cash register area appeared undisturbed. A wrench was found inside the business that did not belong there.
Later that day, Boca Raton detectives returned to the store to get a copy of the surveillance video. The detective and the owner reviewed the video and watched as the suspect smashed the front door and went inside, where he took several packs of cigarettes. In the video the suspect was carrying a cream-colored backpack. While still reviewing the video, the detective and owner looked up and saw a male walking in the parking lot, who looked like the suspect and was carrying a cream-colored backpack.
The detective approached the suspect, identified as Thomas Whittaker of Boca Raton, born 7/28/1978. Whittaker said he was walking by the store the night before and smashed out the front door to steal cigarettes. Whittaker still had a pack of the cigarettes with him. When questioned further, Whittaker told the detective he was also looking to steal bath salts.
(Ed. Note: Bath Salts are what the man accused of eating the face of another in Miami over the weekend was allegedly “on” at the time of the assault).
