Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods is asking for the public’s help to locate a 20-year-old man who is wanted for burglarizing and stealing several vehicles.
During his regular “Wanted by Woods Wednesday” segment on Facebook, Sheriff Woods asked for assistance with finding El Shawn Joshua.
Joshua is wanted for burglary of a conveyance (five counts), grand theft of a motor vehicle (two counts), criminal mischief with property damage of $1,000 or more (two counts), and one count each of criminal mischief with property damage of more than $200 but less than $1,000, grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, petit theft, and resisting an officer without violence.
Sheriff Woods stated that local citizens recently helped the Marion County Sheriff’s Office identify Joshua as a person who was captured on video surveillance footage last November using a credit card that was stolen from an unlocked vehicle in Rainbow Lakes Estates. “Thanks to your tips, we were able to get a warrant for his arrest,” added Sheriff Woods.
On Thursday, February 9, Joshua allegedly stole two vehicles in the area of SW 159th Avenue in Dunnellon. Later that day, deputies found the vehicles and were able to apprehend and arrest two juvenile accomplices, though Joshua managed to flee the area, according to MCSO.
“The vehicles sustained quite a bit of damage and items inside the vehicles had been stolen,” stated Sheriff Woods. “Citizens, we need to get Joshua off the streets before he causes any more chaos and damage in Marion County or anywhere else.”
If you have any information on Joshua’s whereabouts, Sheriff Woods asks that you call Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-STOP (7867) and reference 23-10 in your tip. If you use Crime Stoppers and your tip leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward.