The man accused of being the “bicycle bandit” and attempting to steal UPS packages from the doorstep of a Haciendas of Mission Hills home, is out on bond.
Jason Friend, 26, of Lady Lake, is facing charges of burglary and grand theft, both felonies.
Villager Karen Lupnacca said she was home on the afternoon Dec. 16 when she thought she saw someone take packages and flee on a bicycle. An avid runner, she began chasing him through the neighborhood. David Chambers, a local concrete designer, joined in the chase and snapped a photo of the suspect, later turning it over to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Friend was arrested this past Wednesday. He bonded out the following day.
Lupnacca said the items taken included women’s sweaters from L.L. Bean and oil filters from an airplane. The items were eventually recovered, according to the sheriff’s office.