An Ocala man was jailed recently after Marion County sheriff’s deputies received a call about a burglary in progress at a local discount store.
Deputies responded to the Dollar General store at 7080 S. Pine Ave. and en route were told that a pink camo blanket-carrying white male approximately 20 years old with short brown hair and star tattoos on the side of his face was attempting to pry open the front doors of the business.
A short time later, a deputy located a man in the 6700 block of S. Pine Avenue matching the description of the suspect. The man, later identified as 18-year-old Michael Thomas Maatta, was carrying a large pocket knife and a red bandana. He was positively identified as the person who was attempting to break into the Dollar Store, a sheriff’s office report states.
Maatta was transported to the South Multi District Office to be interviewed and after being read his rights, he said was attempting to enter the store to get a drink. He said that after a short time he realized he wasn’t going to be able to open the door with his knife. He added that a person inside the store “ran him off” and he knew the business was closed, the report says.
After deputies viewed surveillance video of the incident, Maatta was transported to the Marion County Jail and charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure and possession of burglary tools with intent to use. He was being held on $10,000 bond and is due in court Nov. 24 at 9 a.m.
Maatta also was arrested in July when he was accused of battering and pulling a hunting knife on a man who broke up a bedroom brawl between him and a juvenile. In that case, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill (domestic), simple domestic battery, and child abuse without great bodily harm (domestic).