Trio Arrested for Convenience Store Robbery

NEWS RELEASE #: 16-166

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested three people in connection with the robbery of a convenience store that happened on August 16 in Venice.

Deputies responded to a robbery at the 7-11 located at 1698 S. Tamiami Trail, at approximately 3:15 a.m., after a suspect stole an undisclosed amount of cash and lottery tickets. Surveillance video captured the suspect who was fully masked and wearing dark-clothing, jump over the counter before demanding the clerk to open the register. Detectives began their investigation by interviewing the store clerk, Jessica Shaw, DOB 11/14/94, who had only been working at the store for three weeks leading up to the robbery. Detectives soon learned that the robbery was an inside job after they identified Shaw's boyfriend, Shawn Datta, DOB 12/04/87, as the individual who drove the suspect to the 7-11. Detectives then identified Michael Lucia, DOB 02/23/90, of Port Charlotte, as the suspect who entered the 7-11 with the mask and dark clothing while Shaw was working. Detectives also obtained surveillance video from a Shell gas station in North Port that captured Datta trying to exchange the stolen lottery tickets for cash three hours after the robbery took place.

Shaw and Datta, both of 6776 Carovel Avenue, North Port, are each charged with Principal to Robbery and remain in custody at the Sarasota County Jail on $35,000 bond. Lucia, of 1279 Jacobs Street, Port Charlotte, is charged with a single count of Robbery and is being held without bond. The investigation is ongoing.

Surveillance video of both incidents can be viewed on the sheriff's office YouTube channel here: http://bit.ly/2c4RlZC
Michael Lucia_08312016 Shawn Datta_08312016 Jessica Shaw_08312016