Dondelle Banks {BS0}
By Kevin Deutsch
Police arrested a burglar who smashed the window of a car parked at Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek, stole a woman’s purse from inside, and tried to use one of her credit cards before his capture, court records show.
Dondelle Banks, 25, of Hollywood, used a tool to shatter the passenger side window of the woman’s silver 2020 Chevrolet Sonic around 1:11 p.m. on Aug. 12, according to an arrest affidavit. He swept aside the glass and snatched her Guess purse, which contained two credit cards and her passport, the affidavit states.
Coconut Creek Police reviewed the nature center’s surveillance footage and spotted the license plate number for a white Hyundai Banks was driving, police said. They traced the Hyundai to its owner, Banks’ girlfriend, and learned the car was linked to two vehicle burglaries in Boca Raton, records show.
Banks was a suspect in the Boca Raton burglaries, during which he had apparently used the Hyundai. Still, Boca police had been unable to positively identify him as the culprit.
Coconut Creek investigators worked with the Broward Sheriff’s Office to install a “tracker” on Banks’ girlfriend’s Hyundai, which was parked in front of her residence, the affidavit states.
Police said they identified Banks on surveillance video taken at a Chevron gas station, 7100 W. McNab Rd. in North Lauderdale, where he had tried to use the victim’s stolen credit card. The $247 transaction was declined, police said.
Next, police and investigators from BSO’s Burglary Apprehension Team used the tracker to follow Banks as he drove the Hyundai around, casing for cars to burglarize, police said. He scoped out eight different vehicles in total while wearing the same clothes he wore during the nature center burglary, police said.
Records show Banks was arrested on Aug. 18 and charged with crimes that include burglary conveyance, credit card theft, petit theft, criminal mischief, and three counts of unlawful possession of another person’s identification.
He was taken to the Broward County Main Jail and released on a $21,000 bond.
Police said an investigation is underway to determine if Banks victimized other car owners.
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