CALLAHAN, Fla. — A 29-year-old Yulee woman was arrested this week for attempting to burglarize cars at several Nassau County gas stations.
On Tuesday, Nov. 23, Nassau deputies responded to the Journey Food Store on US-1 in Callahan where a woman reported she had been the victim of a car burglary. The victim told deputies that after she pumped gas, she went inside the store to wash her hands, during which her purse, ID, and a small handgun had been stolen.
Investigators say the incident was captured on store surveillance. The video showed a small white vehicle parked by the pumps on the opposite side of the victim. When the victim walked inside the gas station, a female suspect got out of the white car, opened the victim’s car door, grabbed the stolen contents, and drove off.
A Nassau detective driving an unmarked vehicle spotted a white car parked at another gas station that matched the description of the burglary from the Journey Food Store. The detective watched the woman move her vehicle to different gas pumps, but the woman never exited the vehicle.
The suspect then left the parking lot and drove to a RaceTrac convenience store on SR-200 and again parked by the fuel pumps, but never got out.
Eventually, she drove to a nearby BP Station and parked at the fuel pumps. The woman exited her vehicle and attempted to enter another unattended car parked at the pumps, but was unable to gain entry because the door was locked, according to NCSO.
The suspect then drove across the street to Circle K, moving around to different pumps, but never exited the car.
She then drove to the Florida Citrus Center at I-95 and attempted to enter another unattended vehicle but the door was locked. The suspect moved to different pumps several more times and tried to enter cars, but was unsuccessful.
Deputies say the woman drove to a nearby Raceway and parked next to the gas pumps. At this point, a staged unmarked NCSO vehicle pulled up to the gas pumps and a female undercover detective went inside the store, leaving the car unlocked. The suspect got out of her car, opened the unmarked patrol vehicle, and grabbed a purse from the front seat.
Kendall Layne Wilder, 29, was arrested and booked into the Nassau County jail. She is charged with theft, vehicle burglary, and armed burglary.
“This is a great reminder that there are people out there trying to steal your stuff, so please always lock your vehicle and house doors to reduce your chances of being a victim of theft,” said Sheriff Bill Leeper.
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