FLORIDA COMPUTERS STOLEN Janitor at Samuel Gaines Academy accused of stealing money from teacher's purse, four laptops : St. Lucie County : TCPalm:

Janitor at Samuel Gaines Academy accused of stealing money from teacher's purse, four laptops

By Will Greenlee (Contact)
Originally published 09:33 a.m., September 22, 2009
Updated 09:33 a.m., September 22, 2009

FORT PIERCE — A janitor at Samuel Gaines Academy faces charges after stealing cash from a teacher’s purse and four laptop computers valued at $4,000, according to arrest affidavits released Tuesday.

Sheriff’s investigators said they used a hidden camera Monday afternoon to watch Donald Anthony Brown Jr., 21, abscond with $50 from a teacher’s purse. The camera was placed in the room and $100 in the purse “due to previously missing money from that teacher,” an affidavit states.

A deputy said he watched Brown, identified in an arrest affidavit as a janitor, as he put the $50 in his jeans. He took garbage from the can and left.

The affidavits continue with this account:

Brown then entered a room where the deputy was and she confronted him about the cash. Brown, of the 100 block of South 23rd Street, handed over the money, which he said he needed to feed his child.

Brown eventually admitted to taking $40 from the same teacher about a week prior. He said he used the money for socks and bottles for his child.

Brown also admitted taking four laptop computers, each valued at $1,000, that were noticed missing in July.

Investigators recovered two laptops at his girlfriend’s residence in the 1200 block of North 31st Street. The girlfriend said she didn’t know they were stolen.

Brown reported taking the remaining two computers to an apartment in the 3200 block of Louisiana Avenue where a person he referred to as “C” lives.

In a phone conversation, “C” indicated the computers were at a home in Port St. Lucie and that he would get them for investigators. He declined to give sheriff’s officials any personal information.

Brown faces charges including two counts of petit theft and a single grand theft charge.