News and Investigations

Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested five teens from the Washington D.C. area for conspiring to steal merchandise from the 7-Eleven store at 3141 Ronald Reagan Parkway in Davenport.

The teens are members of Run it Up, a travel basketball program affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Their team is in the area to participate in the Puma NXTPro basketball tournament and they were staying at a Solterra Resorts vacation rental which is less than a mile from the store.

The theft occurred on July 23, 2026 at around 4:10 am. 

The suspects concealed merchandise such as Doritos, gummies, Starburst Minis, a Big Mama sausage, lemonade, and grape and orange Slurpees. The total value of the theft was $37.60.

A clerk confronted the suspects about the thefts and they fled the store.

PCSO deputies responded to the area and located three of the suspects near the entrance to Solterra after they placed the stolen goods into a backpack and hid it in the bushes. 

A detective made contact with the team’s coach, Malik Abdul Harvey, 27, of Bryans Road, Maryland, and asked if he could identify the remaining two suspects from the security video. 

Later in the morning, the remaining two suspects were located and they admitted that Harvey was their coach.

Harvey then confessed to lying about not knowing the other two suspects to protect them.

“We welcome anyone who wants to visit or stay in Polk County on vacation. But people need to realize that while you might be able to get away with crimes and foolishness where you live, it won’t fly around here. If you steal in Polk County, we’re going to send you home with a commemorative mug shot from the Polk County Jail.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The five theft suspects were each charged with Conspiracy to Commit Retail Theft (F3), Tampering with Evidence (F3), Petit Theft (M1), and Violation of the County Curfew Ordinance for Juveniles (M).

The suspects are: 17-year-old Tavion Rashaud Hale of Washington DC, 16-year-old Taureon Darnell Ferrell of Washington DC, 16-year-old Obai Sankoh Sheriff of Lanham, Maryland, 16-year-old James Thomas Hall of Washington DC, and 17-year-old Tyjuan Grover of Washington DC.

Coach Malik Harvey was also arrested and charged with Child Neglect (F3) Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (M1), Accessory after the Fact (M1), and Resisting without Violence (M1). 

Harvey is employed by the Department of Juvenile Services at the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center where his responsibilities include assisting and empowering youth. The basketball trip was not associated with his work duties.  

Additional comments from Sheriff Grady Judd can be viewed here.