Witness tip leads to arrests in North Fort Myers antique mall silverware theft case

A North Fort Myers duo was arrested on Saturday after being accused of stealing a set of silverware from a shop on May 26.

>>Video above: Previous coverage

According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office arrest report, on May 27, deputies responded to The Paris Market Antique Mall in North Fort Myers after the owner, Sandi Rubino-Smith, reported a theft.

Gulf Coast News spoke to Rubino-Smith, who said that on May 26, a man and woman arrived at the store and remained inside for over three hours before stealing a box of high-end French silverware.

"I just thought he was just a regular guy coming in and purchasing, bringing me a pile of things for me to give him a good price," said Rubino-Smith. "When I was dusting, I saw a big blank space."

Security footage shows a couple entering the store, browsing items, and trying some on. The video captures the man as he appears to inspect forks, spoons, and glasses before reportedly taking a box containing a high-end French silverware set and walking to the back.

On June 6, after watching news coverage of the silverware theft, a witness called LCSO to report that they believed they had positively identified one of the suspects.

The witness told deputies he owns a condo and at some point had allowed a female identified as Aurielle Victoria Tedesco, 36, to stay at the condo. The witness then told deputies that for the past couple of months, a man, identified as Daryl Ullom, 40, had been staying with Tedesco at the condo.

The witness said that on May 28, Ullom and Tedesco approached him and showed him some high-end silverware in a wooden chest-style box, the report said. Tedesco then expressed the urgency with which they needed to "get rid of" the silverware. The witness declined to buy the silverware, telling deputies he knew Ullom to be "sketchy."

Deputies searched the condo and made contact with Tedesco on June 6. Detectives located the wooden box for the silverware in the master bedroom closet, but it did not have the silverware inside, the report said. Detectives then located a large cardboard box inside the closet, which contained the silverware.

Tedesco was arrested at the scene. Ullom was located at a Travelodge on North Cleveland Avenue in North Fort Myers and was arrested.

Both Ullom and Tedesco face charges of grand theft and dealing in stolen property.