Five teen basketball players from the D.C. area and their coach were arrested in Florida for “conspiring to steal merchandise” from a 7-Eleven, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The teens traveled to Davenport, Florida, as members of the “Run It Up” travel basketball program. The group was participating in the Puma NXTPro basketball tournament.
The teenagers and their coach were staying at a vacation rental unit located less than a mile from a 7-Eleven store at 3141 Ronald Reagan Parkway in Davenport.
The Sheriff’s Office said the teens “concealed” a variety of merchandise on Thursday that included Doritos, gummies, Starburst Minis, a Big Mama sausage, lemonade, and grape and orange Slurpees. The incident occurred shortly after 4 a.m.
In total, the items cost $37.60.
Maryland coach gets roped in
The group quickly fled the store after being confronted by a 7-Eleven clerk. However, authorities were able to locate three of the five teens near the entrance of their rental unit.
The sheriff’s office said the teens were seen putting the stolen goods inside a backpack that was then hidden in a nearby bush.
A detective later made contact with the team’s coach, Malik Abdul Harvey, 27, of Bryans Road, Maryland, to see if he could identify the remaining two suspects from security footage.
Harvey is employed by the Department of Juvenile Services at the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center. The basketball trip was not associated with that position.
Authorities said the coach admitted to lying about not knowing the two teens after the pair had been located by investigators and admitted that Harvey was their coach. Harvey said he’d lied in order to protect the teenagers.
A spokesperson with Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services confirmed Harvey is an employee, and said the agency won’t comment on personnel matters or litigation while it conducts its own investigation.
Charges filed in the case
Of the five teens, two were 17 and three were 16 years of age. Authorities said four were from D.C. while one member of the group hailed from Prince George’s County.
Each teen was charged with:
- Conspiracy to commit retail theft
- Tampering with evidence
- Petit theft
- Violation of the county curfew ordinance for juveniles.
As for Harvey, who was also arrested, he was charged with:
- Child neglect
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Accessory after the fact
- Resisting without violence
“We welcome anyone who wants to visit or stay in Polk County on vacation. But people need to realize that while you might be able to get away with crimes and foolishness where you live, it won’t fly around here,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
“If you steal in Polk County, we’re going to send you home with a commemorative mug shot from the Polk County Jail.”
The sheriff’s office told WTOP news partner 7News that the department wants to charge the teenagers as adults in the case. That decision is up to the State Attorney’s Office.
