Burglary

EUSTIS, Fla.—Two accused burglars are behind bars after a tip from a Mount Dora homeless camp led a Eustis Police Department detective straight to one of the suspects.

On Sunday, EPD road patrol officers responded to Ace Hardware, 18691 U.S. Highway 441 on a report of a burglary. Officers found muddy tire tracks that appeared to be from a lawnmower, a broken fence, a blue mask and a camera sprayed with a white substance, likely paint, according to an arrest affidavit.

Video footage showed a man, later identified as Roy “Saint” Perrott, 23, wearing a black t-shirt with “original recipe” emblazoned on the front and a KFC chicken bucket on the back, and riding a lawnmower towing a trailer. He was coming west from U.S. Highway 441 and entered Ace Hardware through Gables Drive just before 7:30 a.m. The business is closed on Sundays.

Perrott was captured on video bringing the trailer, now detached from the lawnmower, through the broken fence. He apparently took a break to urinate, according to the affidavit, and then removed a blue mask and a can of spray paint from a black bag. He sprayed the camera with the paint and then looked back at that camera before entering the business. He walked around and grabbed several items, including a generator and two garden hoses, the affidavit states.

The second suspect, later identified as Joshua Reffitt, 41, was also captured on video coming through the break in the fence. Reffitt’s large tattoo on his right shoulder and arm can be seen in the video while he helped Perrott load two pressure washers onto the trailer. Perrott then secured a box of assorted items and garden hose onto the trailer and is seen driving the mower and trailer away, southbound on U.S. Highway 441.

On Monday afternoon, the owner of Ace Hardware called an EPD detective and informed him about a homeless camp located near U.S. Highway 441 and Wolf Branch Road. The owner told the detective he wanted to check the area to see if he could locate any of the items stolen from his store. The EPD detective, a road patrol officer, Chief Craig Capri and the store owner traveled to the area of the homeless camp and came across a man the detective knew from prior involvements, according to the affidavit.

The man told police he did not know anything about the theft from Ace Hardware, but said he knew Reffitt and, “Joshua (Reffitt) usually is everywhere taking everything,” the affidavit states. He told police Reffitt lived in the backyard of a home on Cherry Lane in Mount Dora and drives a black Dodge Ram he uses to steal things. The man said Reffitt has a “ton of stolen items.”

The detective then went to the home on Cherry Lane and spoke to Reffitt. Reffitt told him he had spoken with Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives about a man he knew as “Saint” (Perrott) who had been committing burglaries and bringing the stolen items on the property where Reffitt is living. He said “Saint” had a bicycle trailer and he would use it to transport the stolen items to the property. He said “Saint” had recently stolen a water pump and golf cart from a nearby flea market and had recently been riding a lawnmower, but he had no idea where it came from. The detective gave Reffitt his number and asked him to contact him if he learned of “Saint’s” whereabouts.

Early Wednesday, Reffitt texted the detective and stated “Saint is here sleeping outside, I’m going to try to keep him here. He’s in the carport by camper.”

The detective, along with another detective and a detective-sergeant went to the home on Cherry Lane. They spoke with the homeowner who allowed them to search the yard, and they found “Saint” aka Perrott sleeping—and wearing the exact clothes he was wearing in the video from Ace Hardware, including the KFC original recipe shirt.

The detective woke him up and introduced himself and Perrott asked what was going on. The detective explained he was a person of interest in the Ace Hardware burglary. Perrott agreed to speak with him and said he did not know anything about the burglary, but then said, “Everything is still here. I’m willing to give you everything.”

Perrott then admitted to the burglary and said he did it because he needed money and was planning on selling the stolen items. Perrott was asked if Reffitt was his accomplice, and Perrott nodded his head yes.

Detectives then went to a trailer on the property and spoke with Reffitt. He was detained and told he was a suspect in the Ace Hardware burglary. He admitted to being there but said he did not take part in the thefts. Reffitt said he told Perrott he was doing the wrong thing, and he (Reffitt) was only dumpster diving. Although Reffitt could be seen on camera committing thefts, with his large tattoo showing, he still denied taking part in the thefts. The owner of Ace Hardware responded to the scene and recovered all of his stolen items.

While Reffitt was being placed in the back of a Lake County Sheriff’s Office patrol car he started having a medical issue. He was placed on the ground and when a deputy got close to his left shorts pocket, he tensed up. His pocket was searched, and two bags of methamphetamine were found. He was transported to AdventHealth Waterman, medically cleared and then transported to the Lake County Jail. Perrott was transported to Eustis Police Department for paperwork and then transported to LCJ.

Reffitt is facing charges of burglary, grand theft, criminal mischief and possession of methamphetamine; he is being held on $10,500 bond. Perrott is facing two counts of burglary, two counts of grand theft and two counts of criminal mischief; he is being held on $16,000 bond.

Evidence believed to be related to a theft in the city limits of Mount Dora and several thefts in LCSO’s jurisdiction was also found and more charges may be forthcoming.