Boca Raton Police issue warrant for Day Trip burglar

Boca Raton, FL Boca Raton detectives have seen many unique ways crooks commit crimes, and this one is high on the list. It was great detective work that cracked this case. Investigators say 43-year-old Elsie Hobbs of 6312 Garden View Lane, Matteson, Illinois came to South Florida on numerous occasions and went on one-day crime sprees before flying home the same day.

Detectives say that at least five times, Hobbs flew into Fort Lauderdale Airport on Southwest Airlines. She would rent a car at Alamo and drive to the nearest Home Depot where she would buy bolt cutters and a new pad lock. From there she would go to various gyms in the Boca Raton area, including Lifetime Athletic Center, LA Fitness and the former Ballys. Hobbs, who had numerous memberships throughout the Country, would tell the attendant she was on vacation and gain access.

Once in the locker room Hobbs would wait for someone to go workout and then cut the lock off their locker and steal the purse, credit cards and identification. She would then put the new lock, she just purchased, on the locker. Investigators believe Hobbs did this because it would give her more time to use the victims credit cards.


After leaving the fitness centers, Hobbs would then drive to various retail locations and buy merchandise. Stores included Tiffanys, Saks 5th Avenue, Macys and others. Later that same day she would then drive back to the airport and fly home. In all, investigators say she charged close to $40,000 in merchandise on numerous occasions over the last two years.


Boca Raton Detective Marc Horowitz found that Hobbs was on probation in Colorado for the same type of crimes, and in Illinois, for fraud. Detective Horowitz contacted Hobbs probation officer to inform him that he had records of Hobbs traveling out of state, a restriction of her probation. Hobbs is now back in jail in Illinois as a violator.

Once extradited to Florida, she faces 11 felony counts, including Organized Scheme to Defraud, Grand Theft, and Credit Card Fraud. Records also indicate that in between flying to Boca Raton, Hobbs also flew to Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, Missouri, and Texas.

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