Pinellas Park man charged in dating service robberies

A Pinellas Park man has been charged with robbing two people he met through a telephone dating service, according to Largo police and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Mark Joseph Scott (above left), 44, of 6543 68th Ave., was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on two counts of armed robbery and one count of battery on a law enforcement officer.

On Sunday, the Sheriff's Office responded to a home off Indian Rocks Road, where a 50-year-old man told deputies he met another man through a dating service and arranged a meeting Saturday night at his home. There, the man pulled a knife, tied up the resident and stole cash, credit cards and other items from his home.

On Monday, Largo police responded to a similar incident at a home off Rosemary Lane. The second victim also described meeting a man through a dating service, being robbed at knifepoint and suffering a cut on the hand while being robbed, police said.

Sheriff's and police investigators began comparing notes Tuesday and had developed Scott as a suspect by Wednesday. They found him hiding in a closet at an apartment on 41st Street in St. Petersburg about 8 p.m. Wednesday. He struggled while being arrested, and several of the things stolen were recovered, officials said.

Scott was being held today in lieu of $210,000 bail.

- Jonathan Abel, Times staff writer

Comments

[frank]

brilliant.

[frank]

men or women

[Jim]

Cream-Puff robbed calling a Bakery service. Sure the buns sometimes get burnt.

[Patty]

He was found hiding in a closet? Oh, please -- that is so rich, I can't even touch that irony!!

[Sydney]

This guy is stupid. He seriously didnt think he will get caught? Well he kinda was in the closet. Why would he hide in a closet? Wow. People these days.

[Laurie]

What were those men thinking? Uh yeah, let's go on a date at...MY HOUSE! Come on over and who cares that I've never met you. Sorry, but those guys DESERVED what they got.