Largo Police Officers responded to a robbery that had occurred near the Target Store located at 10500 Ulmerton Road at Largo Mall. The incident occurred on Friday, July 24, 2020 at approximately 11:43 a.m.
The victim was loading items into the back of her vehicle when the subject exited the passenger seat of a beige Buick. The subject, wearing a black hoodie and black cotton style surgical mask approached the victim and forcefully ripped her purse away.
The victim attempted to keep the subject from taking possession of the purse. The subject pulled a silver handgun from his pocket and displayed it. The male, now in possession of the purse, got into the passenger seat of the Buick. The vehicle fled the scene in a reckless manner almost striking multiple cars in the process.
The initial description of the vehicle was early 2000s model beige sedan that had right front end damage, no hubcaps, no license plate and a small white square sticker on the left rear bumper. There was also vertical black lines on the passenger rear door.
On July 29, 2020, Largo Police Officers observed a beige Buick being operated without a license plate. When officers conducted a traffic stop, 27 year-old Maquille Speights of St. Petersburg, fled from the car on foot. Officers located two firearms in the vehicle, one of which matched the description provided by the victim. During the investigation it was determined that Speights was wearing an ankle monitor. He was apprehended near the US Coast Guard Station Sand Key.
Data was obtained from the ankle monitor that confirmed that Speights was in the Target parking lot at the exact time as the armed robbery.
Speights is facing charges of armed robbery, armed trafficking in MDMA, Felon in possession of a firearm, Resisting arrest without violence, and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.
Speights has prior guilty convictions for fleeing and eluding and grand theft of a motor vehicle.