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Two cousins burglarized 35 businesses across west-central Florida, deputies say

 
Maj. Chad Chronister announces during a press conference Thursday the arrest of two cousins who burglarized 35 businesses in the past nine months and stole at least $80,000 in cash from pizza restaurants and check-cashing businesses.
Maj. Chad Chronister announces during a press conference Thursday the arrest of two cousins who burglarized 35 businesses in the past nine months and stole at least $80,000 in cash from pizza restaurants and check-cashing businesses.
Published Sept. 25, 2015

TAMPA — Investigators called it "Operation: Pizza Dough."

For nine months, two Tampa cousins burglarized up to three-dozen businesses across west-central Florida, authorities said Thursday.

Investigators said they're not sure why the cousins targeted pizza joints, although the suspects enjoyed a variety of brands: eight Hungry Howie's locations, six Little Caesars stores, six Papa John's Pizzas, three Domino's Pizzas and a Westshore Pizza.

They're also accused of hitting two Subway restaurants, a cellphone vendor and a haircut shop. Toward the end of the burglary wave, Hillsborough sheriff's Maj. Chad Chronister said, the suspects broke into seven check-cashing stores.

They hit 35 businesses in all, authorities said, stealing at least $80,000.

The cousins were arrested Sunday by deputies from the Hillsborough County and Pinellas County sheriff's offices. Authorities revealed details about the bust on Thursday.

The cousins were suspected of burglaries in both counties as well as Pasco County. Break-ins were reported as far south as Sarasota, as far north as Ocala — and even on the other side of Florida, in Port St. Lucie.

But the cousins — Marvin and Stanford Gulley — told investigators their motive wasn't just personal enrichment.

"They would feel like Robin Hood," Chronister said. "Stealing money from the rich ... and (spreading) the money over several friends."

Investigators, however, think their intentions were less than altruistic. Authorities said that the cousins, while under surveillance, were seen frequenting the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa and Derby Lane in St. Petersburg.

Marvin Gulley, 34, was arrested on five counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure, three counts of grand theft, possession of burglary tools and possession of cocaine. He was being held Thursday in the Hillsborough County jail in lieu of $110,000 bail.

Stanford Gulley, 30, was arrested on four counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure. He was being held in the Pinellas County jail in lieu of $45,000 bail.

The Gulleys, the major said, told investigators they were responsible for a third of the 35 break-ins. Chronister said investigators are trying to connect the other burglaries to them.

"They admitted to a large portion of them," he said.

The suspects never broke into the same business twice, deputies said.

Investigators said surveillance footage of the two men in a 2004 Chrysler sedan — the same car linked to the burglaries — led them to the cousins.

Detectives surveilled the suspects for three weeks, then obtained search warrants for a hotel room and the vehicle. Authorities said that Sunday they seized the sedan, a variety of tools used in the burglaries, cocaine and $28,000 in cash.

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Investigators think the suspects may have avoided capture as long as they did because they often stole surveillance equipment as well.

Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Contact Michael Majchrowicz at (813) 226-3374 or mmajchrowicz@tampabay.com. Follow @mjmajchrowicz.