A 43-year-old Ocala man with a prior theft conviction was arrested at a local Duke Energy substation after he was allegedly caught stealing a metal fence post.
On Wednesday, September 10, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal was on patrol in the 3000 block of W Highway 326 in Ocala when a man was observed inside a construction dumpster at the nearby Duke Energy substation, according to the arrest report.
The corporal approached the dumpster and made contact with the man, who was identified as Anthony Noel Leonardo, Jr. The report stated that a pickup truck was parked behind the dumpster, and the corporal recognized that it was Leonardo’s vehicle due to “previous interactions” that the agency has had with him.
Leonardo allegedly told the corporal that he was “looking for items in the dumpster to keep.” The corporal looked at the bed of the pickup truck and observed a “galvanized fence post” that “appeared to be of the same type/material which was used around the (substation).”
When asked where the fence post had been taken from, Leonardo allegedly advised that he “grabbed it from inside the dumpster.” He claimed that he had been given permission to enter the dumpster and take scrap metal, according to the report.
The stolen fence post was valued at approximately $75.
A criminal history search was conducted, which revealed that Leonardo was previously convicted of petit theft in Marion County in 2012.
Leonardo was detained in handcuffs, and his pickup truck was searched by law enforcement prior to being towed. During that search, two containers filled with marijuana were allegedly found.
After being read his Miranda rights, Leonardo refused to speak with the corporal. He was placed under arrest, booked into Marion County Jail, and released the following day after posting bond. He is being charged with second-degree petit theft (second offense) and possession of marijuana (not more than 20 grams).Â
A court date for Leonardo has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.