BOCA RATON – The Boca Police Tactical Team arrested two suspects on auto burglary charges about 5:45 p.m. Aug. 2.
Officers were watching the parking lot of Fitness for Women, 7561 North Federal Highway, due to recent automobile burglaries at fitness centers in the city, the police report said.
While watching the parking lot, the officers saw a black Chrysler Sebring back into a parking space near a Chevrolet Suburban. The driver of the Chrysler, later identified by police as Elizabeth Thompson, 22, of Pompano Beach, got out and looked into the Suburban. Thompson repeated this action three more times, looking into different vehicles before leaving the parking lot. Officers followed Thompson and when she committed several traffic violations, they pulled her over.
Officers met with Thompson and her passenger, Randall Brooks, 29, of Lauderhill, whose seat was reclined all the way back, obscuring him from view. Police said they smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Thompson told officers her driver’s license was suspended.
When officers told Thompson they had been watching her in the parking lot, she told them that starting at 9 a.m. in Miami, they had been committing automobile burglaries and some of the property was hidden in the roof lining of the car.
According to police, Thompson said they committed several burglaries at LA Fitness just off Yamato and Congress in Boca Raton. Thompson said she drove the vehicle and Brooks broke the windows of the victims’ cars using a screwdriver, which was in the glove box. Thompson also told officers that Brooks had cut himself on the window of one of the cars at LA Fitness.
Thompson said they committed between five and 10 burglaries. Brooks refused to speak with officers, but they saw cuts on his forearm and glass on the floor of the car where he was sitting.
Officers recovered property from several different burglaries. Officers arrested and charged Thompson with burglary to an automobile, loitering and prowling, and several traffic infractions. Brooks is charged with burglary to an automobile, possession of burglary tools and loitering and prowling.