HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – A 20-year-old Zeeland Township man is in custody in Florida for alleged crimes committed in the Zeeland and Holland Township areas.
Captain Mark Bennett of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office says six vehicles, credit cards, electronics from within several other vehicles were also stolen within the last month. In one case a handgun was taken from a vehicle located in Zeeland Township. Investigators were able to track the use of the stolen credit cards back to the suspect who has been identified as Timothy Scott O’Connor.
Bennett says during the past week O’Connor had fled to Florida. Detectives work closely with U.S. Marshals and the suspect was located in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area in Florida on Thursday, September 21st.
O’Connor was in possession of the stolen handgun when he was taken into custody along with a multiple count felony warrant from Ottawa County. Florida authorities have charged him with possession of a handgun and he was also driving a 2016 Jeep that was stolen in Ottawa County.
At this time the warrants from Ottawa County include multiple counts illegal use of a financial transaction device, forced notice of habitual offending with more charges likely. Bennett says the value of the stolen items exceeds $50,000.
The suspect will be returned to Michigan after adjudication of the recent Florida crimes. Anyone with information is asked to call the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department at 616-738-4000 or Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT.
