Charlotte County Sheriff's deputies arrested four people who allegedly stole several expensive purses from Dillard's in Town Center Mall at 8:48 p.m. Wednesday.
A deputy located the car with four people in it within two minutes and made a traffic stop in the parking lot of Taco Bell across from the mall.
Deputies said they saw purses in the back seat, and a check of the trunk located more. Value of the purses was set at $1,590.
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Matthew Akeem Middleton
Sales associates from Dillard's were brought to the traffic stop location and positively identified all four in the car. They also identified the stolen purseswith Dillard's price tags on them.
Driver Matthew Akeem Middleton, 21, 509 Fitzhugh Ave., Punta Gorda, reportedly gave a false name until deputies obtained his real name. He was charged with grand theft, driving while license suspended as a habitual offender and giving a false name.
The passengers, all from Arcadia, were charged with grand theft. They were: Joshua Montoya Adkins, 21, 1145 Rainbow Ave., Rodrika A. Randolph, 21, 708 O'Leary Drive, and Robert Allen Clifton, 23, 211 Potter St.
All four were transported to the Charlotte County Jail where none have posted bond at this time. Middleton, a convicted felon with eight booking, has a $6,000 bond; Adkins (fourth booking); Randolph, (second booking); and Clifton, (third booking) each has a $2,500 bond.
