An alleged theft that took place at a construction zone in the Florida Keys resulted in two men receiving charges for grand theft on Oct. 21. The men reportedly blamed each other for the theft before they were both booked into jail in Monroe County.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office received a report about the alleged theft shortly after 10:30 p.m. A driver who was traveling in a construction zone on Card Sound Road had called Ocean Reef Public Safety after noticing something that he thought was suspicious. According to the motorist, three rolls of fencing material had been placed into the back of a van.
The sheriff’s office was notified about the report by Ocean Reef Public Safety, and deputies subsequently pulled the van over in a traffic stop. Both of the accused men were then interviewed separately by the sheriff’s deputies. Although the men providing some differing testimony about the theft, both men stated that they had been visiting the Keys on a fishing trip. They also both claimed that they had forgotten their fishing equipment. According to sheriff’s deputies, fencing rolls were found in the van that had tags matching the fencing rolls at the construction site.
A person charged for a similar offense may choose to contact a criminal defense lawyer. In such a situation, a lawyer could review police statements, witness reports and any other additional evidence prosecutors may have against a defendant. After a careful examination of all available evidence, a lawyer might formulate a strong defense against the charges or advise a client to accept a plea deal for reduced penalties.
Source: Miami Herald, “Two men accused of stealing fencing in Florida Keys“, Patrick Riley, October 22, 2014
