FLORIDA COMPUTER THIEVES CHARGED 2 Men Charged With Burglary, Grand Theft | theledger.com

2 Men Charged With Burglary, Grand Theft

Ledger staff

A Jan Phyl Village man and a Winter Haven man were arrested on charges of breaking into a business and stealing computer hardware early Tuesday, according to the Polk County Sheriff's office.

Polk Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a business burglary in progress about 1:50 a.m., at 5338 Commercial Blvd. When they arrived, deputies set a perimeter and patrol deputies and a K-9 team entered the building.

The K-9 team searched the underbrush nearby and found two suspects.

Arrested were Steven Sanchez, of 125 Fifth Street, Jan Phyl Village, 30, and Richard James Loatwall, of 512 Avenue S. NW, Winter Haven, 31.

According to Polk County Sheriff's deputies, Sanchez and Loatwall had removed an air conditioning duct, went inside the business and began stealing computer hardware. They put some of the stolen property in their car, parked out back, and then went back in for more, deputies said. In the process, they set off the business' alarm.

According to the arrest report, both suspects denied breaking into the business. Sanchez and Loatwall were charged with burglary of a structure, grandtheft and resisting without violence.

Additional property thought to be from other recently reported burglaries was also discovered in the suspects' vehicle, deputies said.