Mark Brents, 57 (HCSO) HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) has apprehended a habitual offender following a
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) has apprehended a habitual offender following an investigation by the Organized Retail Theft Unit (ORT), which uncovered a barcode manipulation scheme targeting multiple Lowe’s stores across Hillsborough County and Clearwater.
Mark Brents, 57, who has a lengthy criminal record with 11 prison stints and 74 bookings into the Orient Road Jail since 1985, was arrested after defrauding Lowe’s of over $4,500 in merchandise during ten separate incidents.
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The investigation began earlier this month when the HCSO’s ORT Unit detected Brents’ fraudulent activities. Brents was found to be placing barcodes from cheaper items onto more expensive products or scanning inexpensive items in place of pricier goods, allowing him to repeatedly defraud Lowe’s stores. Investigators also discovered several online ads placed by Brents, offering the stolen items for sale.
In collaboration with the Clearwater Police Department, the ORT launched a covert operation to arrest Brents. On August 21, 2024, Brents was observed driving erratically in a black Nissan Altima with an improper tag. Once Brents returned to his residence, he was taken into custody by the ORT and Clearwater Police.
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“Our Organized Retail Theft Unit, in partnership with the Clearwater Police Department, successfully apprehended a career criminal before he could victimize more businesses in our community,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Despite his lengthy criminal history, Brents has not learned his lesson. We will not tolerate habitual offenders who continue to prey on our community.”
Brents now faces multiple charges, including:
- Organized Scheme to Defraud Less than $20,000
- Retail Theft of $3,000 or More
- Felony Petit Theft
At the time of his arrest, Brents was on probation for Felony Fleeing to Elude. The Clearwater Police Department has also filed additional charges related to the stolen property.
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Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy praised the cooperation between agencies, stating, “Our detectives were happy to work with their counterparts from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to get this individual off the streets. He has a long history of breaking the law in multiple jurisdictions.”
The investigation is ongoing.
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