LEESBURG, Florida—A man suspected of numerous burglaries in at least four counties was released on $5,500 bond Monday after he was served with a Lake County warrant Friday charging him with burglary and petit theft stemming from an incident in unincorporated Leesburg March 2, according to a probable cause affidavit.
John Francis Thomas, 56, of Silver Springs, is facing charges in Lake County, in addition to being suspected of crimes in Sumter, Bradford and Hernando counties, the affidavit states.
The victim told a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy he was alerted to a package delivery and found that it was gone when he arrived at his home on Em En El Grove Road, less than an hour later. The victim viewed his security footage and saw a dark colored Chevy HHR pull into his driveway just nine minutes before he arrived home. A man, later identified as Thomas, exited the HHR, walked around the entire home and got back into the car. The car backs slightly, pulls forward and exits the vehicle again. Thomas walks up to the home, knocks on the door, and then grabs the package and leaves the area. The items in the package totaled more than $200, according to the affidavit.
An LCSO detective began investigating, obtained the tag number and found it was registered to a black 2008 Chevy HHR and belongs to Thomas’ brother. He contacted a detective at neighboring Marion County Sheriff’s office and that detective said Thomas was suspected in numerous crimes and blood evidence from crimes in Hernando and Bradford counties matched Thomas.
A warrant was issued for Thomas’ arrest Wednesday, and he was picked up at the Marion County Jail (MCJ) and transported to Tavares. It is unclear why he was in MCJ.
