Cops: Adults Took Young Child Along For Boca Raton Best Buy Heist

The suspects in the robbery of a Best Buy store that involved a child. (Photos: Palm Beach County Jail)

Authorities say two women recruited a child as young as 8 to help them pull off a meticulously planned $3,700 camera heist at a Boca Raton Best Buy, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in court this week.

Melissa Stevens, 33, and Ginger Mitchell, 29, both of Boca Raton, face multiple felony charges, including grand theft and burglary of an occupied structure, in connection with the Aug. 15 theft. A third suspect, Bryan Austin Stevens, 31, was also arrested. All three were taken into custody Wednesday after a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 1800 block of NW 15th Vista.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, surveillance footage shows the operation was coordinated well before the theft. Investigators said the getaway vehicle, a beige BMW, was seen circling the store’s parking lot roughly 30 minutes ahead of the crime. When the suspects arrived, deputies said, an unidentified person got out of the driver’s seat, walked to the trunk and removed the vehicle’s tag – allegedly to prevent it from being traced.

Authorities said the two women then entered the store with the child, who deputies said stood in front of a camera display case while one of the women allegedly reached into a backpack for a tool to cut the security cord attached to a Sony Alpha 7C II camera and matching lens. The child, deputies said, appeared to serve as a lookout and repeatedly tapped the woman to hurry her along as she worked to free the camera.

Once the device was removed, the group ran from the store past all points of purchase and back to the waiting BMW, according to the affidavit. Deputies said the total value of the stolen camera equipment was about $3,699.98.

Investigators said a follow-up review of surveillance video also showed one of the women entering an employee-only stockroom during the incident and taking a pair of scissors valued at about $5.

Deputies said they identified the suspects using the vehicle’s temporary tag, which was captured on camera before it was removed. A Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy on routine patrol Sept. 8 spotted the BMW, still displaying the same tag – by then expired – and pulled the vehicle over. Stevens was behind the wheel, deputies said, allowing investigators to positively match her to the earlier footage.

Both women were interviewed after being read their Miranda rights, though the specifics of their statements were not disclosed in the portion of the affidavit made public.

Stevens, Mitchell and Bryan Stevens each face charges including grand theft, burglary of an occupied structure, retail theft, use of an anti-shoplifting device, dealing in stolen property, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. All three were being held Thursday in lieu of $30,000 combined bail each.