Sarasota,Fla. (970 WFLA)-The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested a man after connecting him to multiple burglaries and instances of fraud.
Detectives began their investigation on December 1 with a report of a residential burglary at the 300 block of Cedar Street in Englewood. The victim noted that a Makita rip saw, drill, and several tool accessories were taken and that she suspected her 24 year old son, James O'Neill.Using a pawn database, detectives were alerted to items matching the victim's descriptions at a pawn shop in North Port. Detectives were able to confirm that O'Neill was responsible for pawning the items by testing the latent fingerprint left on pawn slip.
On January 3, detectives received a report of a burglary at the Englewood Animal Rescue Sanctuary Animal Hospital, where six checks were stolen. When two of the checks were cashed, detectives discovered that O'Neill had cashed the checks at a Publix Supermarket in Englewood. Store surveillance video confirmed O'Neill used his driver's license to cash one check on January 4 and the other on January 8.
Deputies arrested O'Neill on an existing warrant on January 17. He was found with several of Englewood Animal Rescue's checks and a key to the animal hospital's office in his possession. When questioned, O'Neill admitted to burglarizing the animal hospital using a key he stole from his mom, who worked there prior to the incident.
O'Neill, of 820 Yale Street in Englewood, is charged with two counts of Fraud: Uttering Forged Instrument, Dealing in Stolen Property, Fraud: Giving False Information to a Pawn Shop, Burglary of an Unoccupied Dwelling, Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure, and Failure to Appear: Battery. He remains in custody without bond.Photo Credit:Sarasota Sheriff's Office
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