An Oxford man was arrested after allegedly trying to steal a homeowner’s mail packages with $375 in items.
A deputy responded to the area of County Road 141 in Wildwood regarding a suspicious person at 7 p.m. Friday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Upon arrival, he spotted 31-year-old Brian Anthony Scott Gonzalez standing in the middle of the road in front of someone’s home.
While talking to the homeowner, Scott Gonzalez held two mail packages and one junk mail card. The homeowner advised that he saw Scott Gonzalez open his mailbox, take out the packages and walk away. He claimed it was his mail when confronted by the homeowner, the report said.
The homeowner added that he did not know Scott Gonzalez, he did not live there and he had no rights to the property. Scott Gonalez interrupted their conversation to say the mail belonged to him. The deputy then inspected the mail and saw it was addressed to the homeowner’s wife, the report said.
Inside the packages were two clothing items worth $350 and a wristwatch band worth $25. The total value of the stolen items was $375, the report said.
Scott Gonzalez was subsequently arrested and searched. The deputy found a small marijuana blunt weighing less than 20 grams. He refused to answer any questions, the report said.
A criminal history check revealed he had one prior conviction related to narcotics offenses from Dec. 29, 2018. He was also on felony probation, the report said.
The native of Puerto Rico was charged with petit theft, possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams) and probation violation. He was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center to be held without bond, and Lake County placed a hold on him.