PORT CHARLOTTE — Charlotte County Sheriff’s detectives filed more charges on the couple who stole items from Tractor Supply Co. and Dollar General Stores in Port Charlotte last month. CCSO detectives identified them after viewing surveillance videos at Best Buy, 18700 Veterans Boulevard, showing them stealing an Acer tablet. The additional grand theft charges were filed at the Charlotte County Jail on Jeffrey Scott Sabatinelli, 34, and Christen Joy Dial, 31, both of the 400 block of Strausburg Drive, Port Charlotte. The couple was first arrested Dec. 28 after a witness saw them steal items from Dollar General and followed them in their Volkswagen Jetta to the Town Center mall parking lot and called CCSO. The deputy remembered a BOLO issued Dec. 20 that matched their description from surveillance video at Tractor Supply and stealing an $830 plasma welder. They had their small daughter with them at the time of the theft.

Detectives continue to review surveillance video from several past businesses thefts and matched Sabatinelli and Dial stealing a $350 tablet computer from Best Buy on Nov. 29. The video shows them enter the store and going to the computer isle where Dial selects the Acer tablet. Sabatinelli enters the men’s restroom while Dial stands outside. Sabatinelli exits the restroom and both leave the store without making a purchase. The table empty box was found by cleaning crews the next day and CCSO was notified. CCSO detectives searched all area pawn transactions made by Sabatinelli and Dial and found that Sabatinelli pawned the table Nov. 29 at Cape Jewelry and Pawn in Cape Coral. Serial numbers confirmed it was the same tablet stolen at Best Buy in Port Charlotte. Sabatinelli and Dial both remain in jail on Grand Theft charges; Sabatinelli’s bond is set at $24,000. Dial has no bond due to her being on probation for previous charges before the latest thefts occurred. The investigations continue.