Pinellas County deputies arrested a Clearwater man hired to repair a Belleair Bluffs condominium on Thursday, October 8, 2026, after accusing him of stealing the homeowner’s jewelry and using her debit card for nearly $12,000 in unauthorized withdrawals and purchases.
George Edward Leap, 39, faces charges of grand theft, dealing in stolen property and organized dealing in stolen property, according to arrest affidavits filed by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators said Leap had access to the woman’s condominium in the 600 block of Indian Rocks Road for approximately three and a half months while completing interior repairs. The homeowner provided him with her debit card and PIN to make repair-related purchases.
According to the grand theft affidavit, Leap instead withdrew $9,120 from ATMs and spent another $2,830.47 on food and streaming services unrelated to the repairs. The alleged unauthorized transactions totaled $11,950.47.
Deputies also allege Leap took multiple pieces of jewelry from the homeowner’s bedroom, sold some himself and gave other pieces to his son to sell under false pretenses.
One affidavit states that on May 24, 2026, Leap’s son sold a gold chain, earrings, several silver chains and a silver ring with a blue stone to a Largo Pawn Shop. The transaction brought in $1,045, investigators said.
A separate affidavit alleges Leap went to the same pawn shop on June 2, 2026, and sold silver bracelets and a 10-karat yellow-gold ring with a blue stone for $150.
The affidavits do not indicate whether the homeowner recovered any money or jewelry.
