Suspect Arrested in Home Invasion That Targeted 89-Year-Old Woman

The suspect in an August home invasion in which an 89-year-old Clearwater woman was robbed and shoved to the floor, has been captured, authorities said Monday.

Tommy Mitchell, 42, was arrested by the St. Petersburg Police Department on Saturday after officers were notified by Clearwater detectives that he was staying in the area.

A St. Petersburg Police officer made contact with Mitchell, who is homeless, on another case and arrested him, officials said. Clearwater detectives added charges of home invasion (two counts), burglary, battery on a person 65 or older (two counts) and tampering with a witness.

Clearwater Police said Mitchell targeted the woman on Aug. 1, approaching her outside her home in the 100 block of Orangeview Avenue and offering to detail her car for $50.

Mitchell, who identified himself as "Joe Moon," entered the woman's home without invitation and asked for several glasses of water, saying he "just took heart medication," public safety spokesperson Elizabeth Watts wrote in a media release.

When the woman paid him the $50 and asked him to leave, he said he wanted $150, police say. "At this point, the victim just wanted him to get out of her house, so she went to her bedroom to retrieve more money," Watts wrote.

The suspect followed her, took additional money and pushed her down before leaving, police say.

Detectives identified the suspect as Mitchell and said he could be connected to another case with similar circumstances, and that there could be other victims who have not reported a crime.

Crime Stoppers of Pinellas County offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest. 

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Woman, 89, Targeted in Home Invasion