The Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 26-year-old Dunnellon man over the weekend for breaking into a local fire station and stealing multiple chainsaws.
On Saturday, an MCSO deputy responded to Fire Station #14 located at 3105 SW Ivy Place in Dunnellon in reference to a burglary incident. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with the male reportee who advised that the fire station had been broken into, according to the arrest report.
The reportee advised that he had walked to the back of the fire station when he noticed that one of the bay doors was cracked open. After going inside the station, the reportee noticed that the following items were missing: approximately six chainsaws, an electric saw, and a large orange bag.
The deputy noted in the report that the approximate value of the stolen items was $4,000.
Prior to the deputy’s arrival at the fire station, the sheriff’s office had received a call from a woman who stated that her son, David Scott Truelove, had been dropped off at her residence by a blue sedan. According to the MCSO report, the woman stated that her son then proceeded to take items to the backyard.
When Truelove’s mother went to the back of the residence, she told the sheriff’s office that she observed “several chainsaws and other equipment.”
The deputy responded to the residence, which was located in the 22000 block of SW Sea Cliff Avenue in Dunnellon. After making contact with Truelove’s mother, the deputy made contact with Truelove and detained him in handcuffs. The MCSO report stated that the deputy then walked to the backyard of the residence and observed the missing equipment from the fire station.
After being read his Miranda rights, Truelove stated that he was walking near the fire station when he “tried to open a few doors.” He stated that the bay door was unlocked, and he went inside and “grabbed a water.” He then advised that he “started looking at items and taking them,” according to the MCSO report.
Truelove claimed that the driver of the blue sedan stopped and offered to help him with the items. The deputy noted in the report that Truelove denied knowing the driver, and he claimed that the driver was unaware that the items were stolen.
Truelove was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $10,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure and larceny of emergency medical equipment ($300 or more).
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, according to jail records.