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Just another fun night at the strip club...

shadowcat

Atlanta suburb

Largo man arrested after string of crimes police say began at strip club

[Pinellas County Sheriff's Office]
It took police, deputies, a helicopter and a police dog to catch Nicholas R. Fox after officials said he led law enforcement officers on a chase throughout the county.


CLEARWATER — A 24-year-old Largo man was in custody Thursday morning after a wild night of robbery, carjacking, burglary and resisting arrest that began at a strip club, police said.

It took police, deputies, a helicopter and a police dog to catch Nicholas R. Fox after officials said he led law enforcement officers on a chase throughout the county.

It began when Fox left OZ Gentlemen's Club in a car he stole from another customer about 6:30 p.m. by swiping the cars keys from the bar, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

As deputies searched for the stolen car, Clearwater police said they began to pursue Fox after they spotted him firing a handgun he found in the car.

Fox eventually crashed the stolen car into a wall near Montery Drive and Belleair Road and ran, police said.

He then sneaked into the unlocked back door of 1633 Monterey Drive — not far from the crash scene, deputies said. The people who live there were inside at the time and "startled" by Fox's sudden appearance, deputies said. However, Fox told them he was a crime victim and needed help, deputies said.

He persuaded homeowner Joseph Sitwell to give him a ride to find help, deputies said.

When he saw police in the area, Sitwell got out to tell them about Fox's alleged predicament, deputies said. While Sitwell was out of the car, Fox drove off, deputies said. Officials found the car at Antique Alley and Indian Rocks Road.

Witnesses told deputies that a man matching Fox's description lived in an apartment at 2645 Jewel Road. Deputies found Fox there and arrested him.

Fox, who has a history of similar crimes in Pinellas, remained in jail early Thursday, according to jail records. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning.

Fox faces charges of burglary of auto parts and felonious possession of a firearm in 2008 and robbery by sudden snatching in January.