[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 05/01/20]
LEESBURG, Florida — A Clearwater woman was nabbed for two felonies after attempting to sell a stolen antique model train to Leesburg Police last month.
In late March, Leesburg Police began investigating multiple burglaries that occurred at Compass Self Storage, 8125 County Road 44, Leesburg and conducted a special detail focusing on a unique antique train, according to an arrest affidavit. The train is estimated to be worth between $7,000 and $10,000.
A controlled purchase of the train was set up and Danyel Andrea Crothers, 39, exchanged vehicle information with an officer and she arrived at the meeting location shortly before 6:30 p.m. April 6. Crothers met with an officer and bartered with the officer to purchase the train and additional items for $460; the original agreed price for just the train was $400, according to the affidavit.
Crothers opened the trunk to reveal several boxes containing the stolen train, and was taken into custody. The victim responded to the scene and positively identified the train, according to the affidavit.Crothers was charged with dealing in stolen property and unlawful use of a two-way communication device and two drug charges were added while she was in the Lake County Jail. She pleaded not guilty to the to the charges involving the train on April 16. She was released from LCJ last week on $18,000 bond
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
