| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: WILSON, ED 0457 (AR08020328) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN, USE OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, TO-WIT: OF THE VALUE OF THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($300.00) OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($25,000.00), WITH THE INTENT TO EITHER TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE THE VICTIM OF A RIGHT TO THE PROPERTY OR A BENEFIT THEREOF, OR DID APPROPRIATE THE SAID PROPERTY TO HIS OWN USE OR THE USE OF ANY PERSON NOT ENTITLED THERETO, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTES 812.014 AND 812.014(2)(C)(1), TO WIT: ON 020908, A THEFT WAS REPOT TO THE AGENCY ON 021108, I WAS ASSIGNED TO THIS CASE. ON 021208, MY INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE VICTIM WAS IN THE PUBLIX SUPERMARKET, WHERE HE INADVERTENTLY LEFT HIS WALLET CONTAINING $636.00 CASH AND NUMEROUS CREDIT CARDS AND IDENTIFICATION CARDS, ON THE CASH REGISTER COUNTERTOP. ON THIS SAME DATE, A VIDEO WAS OBTAINED FROM PUBLIX, WHERE IT REVEALED THE DEFENDANT, WHO WAS STANDING IN LINE BEHIND THE VICTIM, APPARENTLY PICKED UP THE WALLET, PLACED IT UNDER HIS LEFT ARM AND WALKED OUT OF STORE WITH IT. THE DEFENDANT THEN PAID FOR HIS GROCERIES USING HIS OWN DEBIT CARD. THIS DEBIT CARD ACCOUNT INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED FROM PUBLIX AUTHORITIES AND USED TO OBTAIN A SUBPOENA IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THE ACCOUNT HOLDER. ON 030308 THE SUBPOENA WAS PRESENTED TO SUNTRUST BANK, WHEREBY MR ALEXANDER VROOM WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE ACCOUNT HOLDER. ON 030308 MR VROOM WAS POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED BY HIS DRIVERS LICENSE AND THE VIDEO AS THE PERSON WHO PLACED THE WALLET UNDER HIS ARM AND WALKED OUT OF THE STORE WITH IT. ON 030308 THE VICTIM CONTACTED ME AND STATED ON 022808 HE RECEIVED AN ANONYMOUS MAIL POUCH CONTAINING HIS WALLET, CREDIT CARDS AND OTHER IDENTIFICATION, BUT NO MONEY. ON 030508 MYSELF AND DEPUTY ROUSH MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AT HIS RESIDENCE. AFTER I INTRODUCED MYSELF AND EXPLAINED WHY I WAS THERE, THE DEFENDANT MADE A SPONTANEOUS STATEMENT THAT HE HAD FOUND A WALLET AND FOUND THE MONEY LOCATED WITHIN IT, AND THEN MAILED THE WALLET BACK TO THE VICTIM. HE WAS AT THAT TIME STOPPED AND READ HIS MIRANDA RIGHT BY CARD AND ASKED IF HE STILL WISHED TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT THIS. THE DEFENDANT AGAIN SAID HE WOULD SPEAK WITH ME AND STATED THAT HE HAD WALKED UP TO THE COUNTER SAW NO ONE WAS IN LINE, OBSERVED THE WALLET, PICKED IT UP. HE THEN TOOK THE CASH OUT AND MAILED THE WALLET BACK TO THE VICTIM. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND $400 CASH IN THE WALLET. THE DEFENDANT ALSO COMPLETED A WRITTEN SWORN STATEMENT STATING THE SAME. AT THAT TIME, THE DEFENDANT WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF GRAND THEFT. HE WAS HANDCUFFED (DOUBLE-LOCKED) AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON ARRIVAL, HE WAS PROCESSED. BASED ON HIS COOPERATION WITH ME, AND ALSO THE FACT THAT HE HAS MEDICAL PROBLEM, A HEART CONDITION, HE WAS RELEASED ON HIS OWN RECOGNIZANCE. *NOT-EXEMPT* |
