A routine trip to pick up a towed car in Polk County turned into a fresh crime report after a Kissimmee woman who had just bonded out of jail on a petty theft charge found several belongings missing from her vehicle, including her debit card. Deputies say the tow truck driver called to impound the car, swiped the card, and started spending, and investigators later arrested a Kissimmee man on fraud and drug charges. Detectives also discovered he had an outstanding burglary warrant out of Osceola County, and Sheriff Grady Judd said his office is now scrutinizing the towing company’s practices.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd laid out the odd sequence of events during a morning briefing, according to CBS12. “Even though we just arrested her and put her in jail, now she’s a victim,” Judd said, as investigators explained how they traced the missing debit card to 32-year-old Markus Anthony of Kissimmee before taking him into custody.
Arrest and charges
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Anthony, 32, of Kissimmee, is facing charges of burglary, theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, and possession of drugs, and that he had an active burglary warrant out of Osceola County. Deputies say he had already begun making fraudulent purchases with the stolen debit card by the time detectives tracked him down. He remained in custody on multiple counts while investigators continued building the case.
How investigators say it unfolded
Deputies said they followed protocol by inventorying the woman’s vehicle and photographing what was inside before it was towed, then pulled surveillance footage and purchase records that tied the missing debit card to Anthony, according to CBS12. After she bonded out of the Polk County Jail on her petty theft arrest and went to the tow yard to retrieve her car, the woman realized her debit card and other items were missing, which kicked off the theft investigation. Judd summed it up this way, noting, “Not only is he in trouble, he’s in worse trouble than the other lady is.”
Investigation of tow company
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said it has launched an ongoing review of the towing company’s practices and will determine whether the business or any of its employees could face additional penalties, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The tow company and the woman whose car was impounded were not publicly identified in the report. Detectives are asking anyone who might have information about the case to contact investigators.
Polk County detectives reiterated their call for tips and said the department has not released the woman’s name or the towing company’s name at this time.
