A 30-year-old woman was arrested after her alleged attempt to burglarize a property in Marion County was thwarted by the homeowner’s security system.
On Monday, April 22, at around noon, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal and deputy responded to a home located on SW Beach Boulevard in Dunnellon after receiving a report that security alarms were “going off” at the residence, according to the arrest report.
The corporal and deputy were unable to make contact with the homeowner. Upon arrival at the residence, they walked to the back of the property and observed a screen door that was open. The report stated that numerous items were on the ground inside the home, and multiple cabinets were open.
In addition, the back door to the residence was unlocked.
The wife of the homeowner/victim noticed several missed calls from the corporal and called back. According to the report, the victim’s wife advised that a woman she has “never seen before” was observed on the home’s security cameras.
The corporal and deputy viewed the security footage, which showed a woman – later identified as Debra Sherie Lutes – walking on the edge of the wooded area next to the property. She then began walking “stealthily” to the back screen door, where she proceeded to enter the back patio, according to the report.
After Lutes moved a large item blocking the back door, she allegedly opened the door and entered the residence. The report stated that the alarm was soon triggered, and Lutes was observed exiting the residence.
Lutes then quickly walked toward the nearby woods before heading westbound on SW Beach Boulevard, according to the report.
The victim checked the interior of the home and advised that no items appeared to be missing.
After searching the neighborhood, the sheriff’s office located Lutes near a property on Rainbow Lakes Boulevard. The corporal noted that Lutes initially denied being at the incident location.
After being read her Miranda rights, Lutes admitted to approaching the back of the victim’s residence and entering the home. She advised that she had “no connections” to the residence and did not have any permission to enter it.
Lutes was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where she is currently being held on a $2,500 bond. She is being charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied dwelling.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, according to jail records.