An Ocala man remains in the Marion County Jail more than a week after he allegedly used a hammer to bust open a pair of coin-operated vending machines and steal the quarters from them.
Danny Lee Fletcher, 38, of 7300 NW 59th Terrace, was charged Dec. 18 with grand theft of between $300 and $5,000 and molestation of a coin-operated machine with larceny in connection with the incident. Charges of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (felony), possession of drug equipment, and giving a false name to law enforcement were added later.
Marion County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of suspicious activity at an address on NW 14th Street, where Fletcher and a woman had been trying to use an exterior power outlet to charge battery of a black 1969 Chevrolet pickup truck. The residents said they didn’t know the subjects and they didn’t have permission to be on their property, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The deputies observed a dozen or so items in the bed of the pickup that included a Blue Rhino propane fuel tank, a propane gas burner and several miscellaneous tools. Fletcher was patted down and dozens of quarters were found in both front pockets of his pants, the report said.
While canvassing the area, one of the deputies noticed that tire tracks from the Fletcher’s vehicle led into a driveway across the street, where a gate to the property was open and appeared suspicious. Inside the gate, in a heavily wooded area about 15 feet from the road, the deputy found a coin-operated tattoo dispensing machine and several peel and stick tattoo cards. Next to it was a coin-operated gumball machine. Both were severely damaged and the coin reservoirs were open with only a few coins in view, according to the report.
The woman with Fletcher initially said the vehicle ran out of gas and the battery died, and that she had recently met up with Fletcher at a gas station at the corner of West Highway 40 and Northwest 80th Avenue. The woman then recanted her story and said she gave Fletcher a ride from the store to discard the coin machines. When asked where the machines came from, the woman told deputies to go look at the “Mexican store” at the address of the gas station, the report said.
A deputy responded to Pepe’s Tienda and Mexican Restaurant, 7915 W. Highway 40. The manager was unaware that any of the vending machines were taken, but it was discovered that the machines originally located on the front sidewalk were missing. A review of security footage that was timestamped at 4:24 a.m. showed the same make and model truck parked in front of the store with a white male and two white females present, according to the report.
The video showed the male – later identified as Fletcher – remove the coin machines from the sidewalk and place them in the bed of the pickup truck. During most of the footage, one of the women stayed in the pickup and was seen driving away after the machines were loaded. Fletcher was moving and loading the machines by himself in the video, the report said.
The store manager also said a gas burner and Blue Rhino propane tank were also missing. He identified a photo of the items in the pickup truck as the ones that were stolen. The manager estimated the total value of the propane tank and burner at about $75, and he said the coin-operated machines were valued at between $1,500 and $2,000 and usually contained about $200 in quarters, according to the report.
After being read his Miranda rights, Fletcher admitted he was the person who removed the machines and accepted full responsibility. Due to the damage, it is unlikely the machines will be able to be repaired or used again and will need to be replaced, the report said.
The woman who was with Fletcher said she saw him use a hammer to gain access to the machines and remove the coins. Fletcher is being held on $7,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on Jan. 21.