| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: SEROCKI, ED 0322 (AR09111117) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN, USE OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, TO-WIT: ONE PLASTIC JUG CONTAINING US CURRENCY OF THE VALUE OF THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($300.00) OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND ($5,000.00), TO WIT: $300.00-$400.00, 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(2)(C)(1) ON 091509, THE VICTIM REPORTED THAT SHE DISCOVERED A FIVE-GALLON PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE IN WHICH SHE HAD BEEN COLLECTING CHANGE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS MISSING FROM HER CLOSET. SHE FURTHER STATED HER GRANDSON AND A FRIEND HAD RECENTLY BEEN AT THE RESIDENCE AND SHE BELIEVED THEY HAD TAKEN IT. THE VICTIM SPOKE TO A NEIGHBOR WHO ADVISED HER HE HAD GIVEN HER GRANDSON AND HIS FRIEND A RIDE TO THE PUBLIX SUPERMARKET ON 091409 AND THAT THEY HAD A RED BAG THAT SEEMED VERY HEAVY AND WHEN THEY PLACED IT INTO THE VEHICLE, IT SOUNDED LIKE METAL HITTING THE METAL OF THE TRUCK. ON 092209, THIS DETECTIVE MADE CONTACT WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE PUBLIX SUPERMARKET LOCATED AT 3942 SOUTH SUNCOAST BOULEVARD IN HOMOSASSA. THEY PROVIDED ME WITH A VIDEO SURVEILLANCE COMPACT DISK, A COPY OF THE COIN STAR COIN CHANGE MACHINE RECEIPTS FOR THAT TIME PERIOD AND A JOB APPLICATION IN THE NAME OF THE DEFENDANT (THE VICTIM'S GRANDSON) WHICH WAS FILLED OUT DURING THAT SAME TIME PERIOD. THIS DETECTIVE THEN VIEWED THE VIDEO AND SAW THAT THE DEFENDANT AND THE CO-DEFENDANT HAD ENTERED THE PUBLIX ON 091409 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 HOURS. THE CO-DEFENDANT WAS SEEN TO PLACE CHANGE FROM THE RED BAG INTO THE COIN MACHINE AND THEN CASH IN THE RECEIPT AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK. ON 092309, THIS DETECTIVE WAS DRIVING ON STONEBROOK AVENUE IN HOMOSASSA, WHERE I OBSERVED THE DEFENDANT WALKING NORTH. I MADE CONTACT WITH HIM ON THE CORNER OF STONEBROOK AND KIPLING, WHERE HE WAS PLACED IN CUSTODY AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY. A DIGITALLY RECORDED INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED WITH THE DEFENDANT, IN WHICH HE ADMITTED THAT ON OR ABOUT 091309, HE AND THE CO-DEFENDANT (NOT YET IN CUSTODY) WERE AT HIS GRANDPARENT'S RESIDENCE. HE STATED THE CO-DEFENDANT ENTERED INTO THE GRANDPARENT'S BEDROOM AND EMERGED A SHORT TIME LATER. AS THEY WERE LEAVING THE RESIDENCE, THE CO-DEFENDANT ASKED THE DEFENDANT TO RETURN INSIDE TO LOCATE HIS CELLULAR TELEPHONE. UPON THE DEFENDANT EXITING THE RESIDENCE AGAIN, HE OBSERVED THE CO-DEFENDANT WALKING FROM ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH IS A WOODED AREA. ON 091409, THE DEFENDANT AND THE CO-DEFENDANT WERE AGAIN TOGETHER AND THEY WALKED TO THE WOODED AREA ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE VICTIM'S RESIDENCE, AT WHICH TIME THE CO-DEFENDANT SHOWED THE DEFENDANT THE JAR CONTAINING CHANGE. THE DEFENDANT ADMITTED HE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED IT WAS FROM THE VICTIM'S BEDROOM CLOSET, AS HE HAD SEEN IT THERE IN THE PAST AND WAS, IN FACT, INFORMED BY THE CO-DEFENDANT THAT IT WAS ONE AND THE SAME. THE COINS WERE TRANSFERRED INTO A RED KNAPSACK AND, AFTER THE DEFENDANT OBTAINED A RIDE FOR HE AND THE CO-DEFENDANT, THE CHANGE WAS CASHED IN AND HE STATED THE AMOUNT RECEIVED WAS $144.00. COMPARING THE RECEIPTS, THIS SUM IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ACTUAL MONEY RECEIVED, WHICH WAS $143.18. THE DEFENDANT FURTHER STATED THE CASH WAS USED TO BUY FOOD AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT, AN ADDITIONAL $30.00 WAS GIVEN TO A THIRD PARTY FOR GAS MONEY TO DRIVE THE DEFENDANT AROUND JOB HUNTING AND FOR ADDITIONAL MEALS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DISCREPANCY IN THE AMOUNT, THE VICTIM REPORTED MISSING, THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE WAS INFORMED BY THE CO-DEFENDANT THAT ON THE EVENING OF THE THEFT HE (THE CO-DEFENDANT) HAD CASHED IN SOME OF THE CHANGE BY HIMSELF. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INTERVIEW, THE DEFENDANT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD BE CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF GRAND THEFT. DUE TO HIS COOPERATION IN THIS INVESTIGATION, HE WAS RELEASED ON HIS OWN RECOGNIZANCE. *NOT-EXEMPT* |
