Who:

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
-Arson/Auto Theft Unit

Tampa Police Department

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

Joneshia Wilkerson (Suspect – Arrested)
DOB: 1/15/1997
Address: 8920 North Ola Avenue, Tampa
Charges: Failure to Return a Leased Vehicle and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card

What:
Detectives assigned to the Arson/Auto Theft Unit have charged a Tampa woman after she used a stolen credit card to rent a vehicle in Pinellas County.

When:
The crime occurred on June 2, 2020, the suspect was stopped by the Tampa Police Department on June 18, 2020 and the suspect was arrested on July 28, 2020.

Where:
The vehicle was rented from Hertz Rent-a-Car at the St. Pete Clearwater Airport. It was located by the Tampa Police Department near 48^th Street North and Sligh Avenue East.

Why/How:
Detectives assigned to the Arson/Auto Theft Unit have charged 23-year-old Joneshia Wilkerson for Failure to Return a Leased Vehicle and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card.

According to detectives, on June 2, 2020 Wilkerson went to the Hertz Rent-a-Car at St. Pete Clearwater Airport and rented a black Nissan Altima. Wilkerson provided a driver’s license and a credit card to secure the car.

The vehicle, due back on June 6, was never returned. Hertz attempted to contact the renter and eventually discovered the credit card used was stolen. Hertz filed a stolen vehicle report with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office on June 18.

Later that day, officers with the Tampa Police Department stopped the stolen vehicle and identified the driver as Wilkerson. At the time, Wilkerson broadcast the traffic stop live on Instagram and told Tampa officers that she borrowed the vehicle from a friend.

Pinellas detectives spoke with the Hertz manager who rented Wilkerson the vehicle and identified her from her Instagram video. Investigators were also provided surveillance footage at Hertz that showed Wilkerson renting the car. Detectives discovered the driver’s license Wilkerson used belonged to a friend which was lent to Wilkerson in exchange for $200. The phone number provided on the rental agreement was the same number Wilkerson provided to Tampa officers as her own.

The credit card number Wilkerson used belonged to a victim in Indiana who was still in possession of their original card.

Detectives located Wilkerson in Riverview on charges of Failure to Return a Leased Vehicle and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card.

She was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Hillsborough County Jail.

The investigation continues.  

Surveillance footage from the St. Pete Clearwater Airport: