LEESBURG, Florida—A Leesburg man put in some work to break into a local Publix early Saturday, according to an arrest affidavit.
Edward Lee Brown, 61, was caught red-handed inside Publix, 717 North 14th Street, Leesburg shortly after 4 a.m. Saturday by Leesburg Police with a backpack full of loot that included 35 packs of Newport cigarettes and 39 Black and Mild cigars, along with other tobacco products valued at more than $500, according to the affidavit. LPD also found a crack pipe in Brown’s backpack.
LPD responded to the popular grocery store after a caller reported seeing Brown breaking into the back door of the store with a pallet jack. When officers arrived, they found Brown inside a rear office in the store with his loot, according to the affidavit.
LPD reviewed surveillance footage while on the scene and it showed Brown utilizing a manual pallet jack to pry open the back door from the bottom. Brown is then seen crawling through the opening, entering the store and placing the stolen tobacco in his backpack, the affidavit states.
Brown was arrested for burglary, petit theft (two prior convictions) and possession of drug equipment. He was taken to LPD for processing and later to the Lake County Jail, where he is being held on $13,000 bond.
