Man charged with stealing $200,000 in jewelry at Port Charlotte Town Center

PORT CHARLOTTE — A Los Angeles man was arrested by Charlotte County deputies last week after he was allegedly linked to a jewelry heist at Port Charlotte Town Center.

About $200,000 was lost in the March theft, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Williams Andres Torres-Parra, 45, was charged with one count of grand theft. He is being held at Charlotte County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an alleged theft at Port Charlotte Town Center on March 7.

A security guard told deputies a woman came close to the mall’s opening time and asked when the food court opened. She also claimed to work for a clothing store in the mall and spoke “broken English.”

Because she seemed to be in need, the guard took her aside and offered some food and water.

Another witness saw at least one person approach a jewelry kiosk at the same time the guard was helping the woman. Allegedly, the suspect used a crowbar to break open the display case and take several necklaces and bracelets.

The witness, a kiosk employee, initially estimated the theft loss to be $20,000. A full audit later led to the higher estimate of $200,000 in losses.

According to deputies, the guard theorized that the woman had been sent in ahead to distract him while the suspect broke into the kiosk display.

Investigators later observed video surveillance from the mall, which showed a person wearing an Adidas track suit that matched a description of at least one suspect.

CCSO staff also reached out to contacts in the FBI, who said the suspect matched the description of someone they had been investigating. In addition, the FBI identified him as Torres-Parra.

According to the affidavit, the FBI task force also linked Torres-Parra to a national organized retail theft ring.

Phone data linked to Torres-Parra was alleged by investigators to put him in the area of Port Charlotte Town Center around 7:02 a.m. — before dropping off the map and returning to the network around 8:32 a.m., more than an hour after the theft had occurred.

Torres-Parra was arrested Sept. 21 in Texas and extradited to Charlotte County. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 21.