A son who learned the art of jewelry from his mother at her store in The Villages will not be prosecuted in a theft case.
Blake Gallaher, 35, had been arrested in February on charges of felonious offense against intellectual property, unlawful computer access, grand theft and burglary in connection with the alleged theft of a computer from Arden’s Fine Jewelers at Lake Sumter Landing.
However, State Attorney Brad King has announced the case against Gallaher will not be prosecuted due to “evidence legally insufficient to prove guilt.”
Gallaher left his mother’s jewelry store last year and began operating Luxury Diamond Company at Baylee Plaza in Summerfield. Prior to that, he reportedly went to his mother and demanded that she sign over her stock in Arden’s Fine Jewelers, where he was working as a salesperson. She refused.
After he had been terminated, Gallaher entered the store on Canal Street in November 2017 and removed a Hewlett Packard server that contained all of the jeweler’s business transaction data and customer data, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Without the computer connected to the store’s network, Arden’s could not conduct any business.
The detective who worked the case found that after the computer had been retrieved from Gallaher, he began remotely accessing Arden’s computer system. The detective tracked the illicit activity through Comcast back to an IP address at Gallaher’s residence. He also erased surveillance images of himself in the store, according to the arrest report. In addition, Arden’s customers said they had been contacted by email by Gallaher, telling them about his new jewelry venture. The customers said they believed their personal information had been obtained through Arden’s database.
