, Fla. — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said a group of people took advantage of a local active duty service member’s absence to steal his property.
The sheriff said it happened while the victim, who is serving in the Air Force, was stationed in North Dakota. he said the victim noticed a spike in his energy bill at his home in Lakeland and called the sheriff’s office for a property check.
The result of that check was 11 arrests.
The sheriff’s office said they arrived at the home to find a woman apparently living in a shed on the property. Deputies said she had several of the victim’s belongings from the house in the shed with her, as well as drugs and paraphernalia.
They also said the house was broken into, plus a car, riding lawnmower and golf cart wee missing. A meter box appeared to have been tampered with.
Deputies said the woman’s boyfriend ran away when they arrived, but they found him with several other people living in motorhomes or sheds at a nearby property.
Grady said several of these people were identified as being involved in the theft and subsequent selling of vehicles and household items, including his mother’s car, his lawnmower, golf cart, children’s toys, appliances, dishes and a wooden bench.
The victim returned to Polk County to assist detectives with identifying and reclaiming his stolen property. The sheriff said the value of the recovered stolen items so far is in excess of $50,000.
The following suspects were arrested and charged:
- Brindy Matos - Burglary, possession of meth, possession of marijuana over 20 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia
- Anthony Maddox Jr. - Burglary, trespassing, resisting arrest, warrant arrest other jurisdiction
- Dana Pereira - Violating Florida litter law, possession of meth, possession of marijuana over 20 grams, operating unpermitted landfill, creating a public nuisance, possession of drug paraphernalia
- Michael Stone - Violating Florida litter law, operating unpermitted landfill, creating a public nuisance, possession of meth, burglary, felony petit theft, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia
- Jonathan Smith - Violating Florida litter law, operating unpermitted landfill, creating a public nuisance
- Beverly Reese - Violating Florida litter law, possession of meth, operating unpermitted landfill, creating a public nuisance, keeping public nuisance structure for drug use, possession of drug paraphernalia
- Dwayne Harris - Violating Florida litter law, possession of meth, operating unpermitted landfill, creating a public nuisance, keeping public nuisance structure for drug use, possession of drug paraphernalia
- Austin Shirah - Possession of meth, violation of probation, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a vehicle for drug use
- Angela Keene - Possession of controlled substance, possession of prescription drug without prescription, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a vehicle for drug use
- Troy Bumkens - Possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia
- Kayla Strickland - Possession of meth, possession of prescription drug without prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia
The investigation is ongoing, and detectives are still looking for the stolen vehicles.
“The scope and brazenness of this theft and denigration of private property is terrible—these ne’er-do-wells and crankers took advantage of an active-duty Air Force member serving our country 2,000 miles away. He left his private property in Lakeland locked and secured, and moved his mother to be with him so he could take care of her. Nobody has a right to go onto another’s property to steal electricity and personal property. These people are a bunch of sorry folks—destroying people’s property with no care for how their lawlessness affects others.” said Judd.
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