A suspect has been arrested after allegedly attempting to steal a portable air conditioner at Home Depot in Lady Lake.
Jeffery Allen Hughes, 51, of Summerfield, entered the store at about 12:30 p.m. Monday and selected a Toshiba portable air conditioning unit valued at $449 and placed it in his shopping cart, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. He also put a Ridgid Brad nailer valued at $89 and a box of Dewalt staples worth $36.78 into his cart and attempted to walk out the store’s main door without paying for the items. He was stopped by store personnel. He admitted he had entered the store with the intent to steal “due to being unemployed and hungry.” He said he knew he “messed up.”
The California native had previously been arrested for theft in 2005 and 2022.
He was taken into custody on a charge of theft. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,000 bond.