Polk Sheriff Puts 'Frankey The Handyman' On Blast As Boldest Thief Yet

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is once again taking his crime-fighting show to social media, this time zeroing in on a man he dubs "Frankey the handyman." In a short video posted today on X, Judd labels the suspect "possibly the boldest thief we've seen in a while," folding the callout into his widely watched #MorningBriefing series that locals have been resharing and dissecting as they hunt for more details.

In a post timestamped today, Judd wrote, "Frankey the handyman may be the boldest thief we've seen in a while," as posted by Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd. The clip includes video that the sheriff's office says shows the man they are looking for and carries the familiar tags #PolkSheriff and #MorningBriefing.

Judd's MorningBriefing Posts Have History

Judd has turned quick-hit, nickname-heavy MorningBriefing posts into a regular part of his public-safety playbook. As reported in April in a Winter Haven car-burglary warning, he previously spotlighted a person he called "Cesar" in an alleged car break-in, using a format that sometimes appears without court documents or full legal names. Those social-first blasts routinely trigger a mix of tips, online arguments and calls for more formal paperwork.

Recent Thefts In Polk County

Recent local coverage shows Polk County deputies staying busy with theft cases this year. FOX 13 Tampa Bay detailed a February arrest of a Lakeland man accused of stealing thousands of dollars in lawn equipment and power tools across the county, while a separate report traced more than $12,000 in jewelry that was allegedly taken by a house cleaner, as reported by NewsChannel 8. Both cases highlight how investigators lean on video evidence and pawn-shop records to chase down leads.

What The Sheriff Says

Judd has credited a lot of those arrests to persistent detective work and solid evidence. He has told reporters, "This is why crime in Polk County is at an all-time low." The sheriff and his team point to surveillance footage, pawn documentation and cooperation between agencies as key tools in unraveling theft patterns, according to FOX 13.

How To Protect Yourself

Investigators and local reports suggest homeowners should carefully vet service workers, lock down valuables and keep a written inventory of high-dollar belongings. Deputies told NewsChannel 8 that anyone who has allowed a suspect into their home should go room by room, check what might be missing and report any suspected theft right away.

Anyone who recognizes the man in Judd's video or has information about the case is asked to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line or submit a tip through the agency's contact page at the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The original clip remains posted on the sheriff’s X account for those who want a closer look.