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Highlands Today

Mother, kids accused of burglarizing coin laundry

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: December 1, 2009

AVON PARK - Police say a Sebring woman stood watch as her three underage children broke into several vending machines at an area coin laundry early Friday morning.

Debbie Ann Pete, 36, of 1711 Wolf Drive, Sebring, was charged with felony counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure while unarmed, possession of burglary tools, grand theft of $300 or more but less than $5,000 and destroying evidence and three misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

She remained in the Highlands County Jail Monday under a $6,000 bond.

The three children - ages 15, 14 and 12 - were all charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure while unarmed, possession of burglary tools, grand theft of $300 or more but less than $5,000, damaging property and destroying evidence.

Avon Park Police Officer Allison Smith went to Geo-Dev Coin Laundry, located at 1003 W. Walnut St., at 3:04 a.m. after a call came in about a possible burglary in progress.

When Smith and Officer Jose Molina walked toward the laundromat on foot, she reportedly saw the three children using a pry bar to try and open one of the vending machines, according to the arrest report.

The two officers shouted, "Police! Don't move!," and the three allegedly ran away. The two boys were later arrested and found with 10 $1 bills that were consistent with money found in a vending machine, the report stated.

The third juvenile, a female, was found in a nearby car wash, where Pete had reportedly been standing and watching the break-in.

"Pete advised that she and her children were washing their vehicle and had just returned from visiting family in Sarasota, Fla.," Smith wrote in the report. "She stated her children were supposed to be going over to the Laundromat to use the restroom and that they had been at the car wash for approximately 15 minutes."

Smith noticed that Pete's car did not look like it had been completely washed and she'd only started cleaning it once law enforcement arrived, according to the report.

Total damage to the vending machines was estimated at $3,400. The total amount of recovered money was $311.07, the report stated.

The three children were taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow.

Pete has several previous arrests that date back to 1998 and include charges of petty theft, according to information from the Highlands County Sheriff's Office.

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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