- July 26, 2024
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Hot wheels
4:39 p.m. — 100 block of Cypress Edge Drive, Palm Coast
Grand theft, criminal mischief. A Leesburg man was arrested and charged with shoplifting after he allegedly stole a bike at a big box store by riding it out of the store.
The 43-year-old first tried to leave the building with the bicycle and a stolen duffle bag full of merchandise by going through an emergency exit door, according to his arrest report. The door had a three-second delay while its alarm sounded, so the suspect tried to force the door open.
When that failed, he jumped on the bike and rode it out the store’s front doors, according to the report.
Sheriff’s Office deputies found the suspect at a nearby gas station, though he had changed clothes. He ran into the woods, but deputies caught him and arrested him.
A store manager estimated that the suspect caused $3,300 worth of damage to the emergency door and had stolen $995 in merchandise. Deputies charged the man with felony grand theft, felony criminal mischief and resisting an officer.
Cashing in
10 a.m. — 1700 block of East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell
Counterfeit check, grand theft. A Palm Coast man has been charged with grand theft and a felony fraud charge after allegedly cashing a fraudulent check for his girlfriend at a bar.
The incident happened in May, but the bar owner did not go to the police until September because she said she’d known the family for a long time. She said the 32-year-old suspect and his parents have gone to the bar for years and even had open bar tabs they were behind on.
In May, the suspect asked the owner to cash what she thought was a legitimate cashier's check for $1,800.26. She gave him the money at the bar and later went to the bank to cash the check.
The bank told the woman the check was fraudulent, and when months went by without the suspect paying her back, the bar owner finally filed charges.
Both the suspect and his parents admitted to knowing the check was fake, though the parents said they had nothing to do with the situation, according to the report.
When police officers spoke to the suspect, he admitted that his girlfriend said he’d receive a check in the mail he needed to cash on behalf of her uncle, and he did.
