A 44-year-old man was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office after he was accused of stealing a cement mixer from his former employer.
On April 10, 2022, an MCSO deputy made contact with the female victim over the phone. She advised that an ex-employee, identified as Charles Griffith, had stolen a gray cement mixer from a job site located in the 20800 block of SW 38th Street in Dunnellon, according to the arrest report.
The victim stated that the cement mixer was left at the job site on March 7, 2022, and she noticed that it was missing on March 26, 2022. The deputy noted in the report that the cement mixer was valued at approximately $1,691.
The victim told the deputy that she knew Griffith was responsible for the theft because he had sent her a text message stating, “I have your mixer and you are not going to get it back.”
A few weeks later, on April 29, 2022, the deputy and a detective responded to Griffith’s home located in the 6900 block of W Wicker Street in Crystal River. They made contact with Griffith at his front gate, and he admitted that he had removed the cement mixer from the job site in Dunnellon, according to the MCSO report.
Griffith told the deputy and detective that he did not have permission to take the cement mixer. He claimed that he was “trying to help the victim,” and he stated that he told the victim to “come get [the cement mixer].” He further stated that he believed the victim had responded to his house and “got the mixer.”
According to the MCSO report, the cement mixer was not at Griffith’s residence, and he claimed that he did not know where it was located. He told the deputy and detective that “someone must have stole it” from the front yard of his residence, and he added that the victim may have “something to do with the mixer being missing.”
The deputy noted in the report that the front yard of Griffith’s residence is “completely fenced in” and has a gate.
Due to Griffith not receiving permission from the victim to take the property from the job site, probable cause was established for Griffith’s arrest, and an arrest warrant was issued on May 2, 2022, according to the MCSO report.
Over a year later, on August 22, 2023, Griffith was located, placed under arrest, and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $2,000 bond. He is facing a felony charge for grand theft over $750 but less than $5,000.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.