ANNA MARIA – Leonardo J. Tilelli, 24, was arrested on Monday morning and confessed to burglarizing the Anna Maria General Store, 503 Pine Ave. He was charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure.
According to a report provided by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Anna Maria Unit leader Sgt. Brett Getman, deputies responded to the store at 5:35 a.m. on Aug. 18 and observed that a large rock had been thrown through one of the store’s glass doors. The business was cleared with no suspects located.
Surveillance video was obtained; the suspect, whose address is undetermined, was identified and a BOLO (be on the lookout) warning was issued.
At 6:55 a.m., Holmes Beach Police Department school resource officer Christine Labranche was driving to Anna Maria Elementary and observed a man matching the BOLO description walking on the sidewalk eastbound on Manatee Avenue along the Palma Sola Causeway. LaBranche stopped Tilelli and detained him until additional officers arrived. After being read his Miranda rights, Tilelli confessed to the burglary and some items of evidentiary value were recovered.
“This successful outcome reflects the strong partnership between MCSO and HBPD and greatly benefits both the business community and the residents we serve,” Getman stated in the report he provided to The Sun.
As of Monday afternoon, Tilelli remained in custody at the Manatee County Jail. According to court records, he has no prior arrests in Manatee County.
