A 20-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he was accused of breaking into a pickup truck and stealing cash from the victim’s wallet.
On Monday, February 20, two Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence on Almond Pass Drive in Ocala in reference to a vehicle that was burglarized. Upon arrival, the deputies made contact with the homeowner who advised that the male victim was at the residence at the time of the theft, according to the MCSO report.
The homeowner told deputies that the male victim was at the incident location to clean the pool. While the victim was away from his GMC pickup truck, a suspect was captured on video surveillance footage walking down the road near the front of the house. The MCSO report stated that the suspect was later identified as Deion Jamall Sanders.
An MCSO deputy spoke with the victim over the phone. The victim advised that prior to the theft, he had gone to a nearby Circle K gas station to purchase gas. While paying for the transaction inside the convenience store, the victim stated that Sanders was behind him in line, according to the MCSO report.
When the victim returned to the incident location to clean the pool, he stated that he saw Sanders walking on Almond Pass Drive. While at the residence, the victim advised that he did not see anyone else walking on the road when he returned to his truck to grab cleaning materials.
On Monday, March 6, the deputy located Sanders and made contact with him. After being read his Miranda rights, Sanders admitted to stealing the victim’s money out of the pickup truck. He told the deputy that he had observed that the truck’s window was halfway down, and he reached inside and opened the door from the inside, according to the MCSO report.
The deputy noted in the report that Sanders admitted to stealing approximately $400 in cash from the victim’s wallet, which was located near the center console. Sanders claimed to have spent the money on scratch-off tickets and marijuana, and he also “gave some away.”
Sanders was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and he was later released on $3,000 bond. He is facing a felony charge for unarmed burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and a misdemeanor charge for first degree petit theft over $100 but less than $750.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.