A Fruitland Park man was arrested for the theft of a weed eater from the Wildwood Soup Kitchen.
Officers responded to the Wildwood Soup Kitchen, located at 203 Barwick St., regarding a stolen weed eater at 1 p.m., April 4, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. The tool’s owner had come to the soup kitchen to eat and left his orange-and-white $300 Echo weed eater on the corner of the entrance. When he finished, the weed eater was missing, and he saw 48-year-old Jerry Bailey “briskly walking away” toward Main Street.
On Tuesday, the officers were told that Bailey had returned to the soup kitchen for the first time since the theft. He then admitted to taking the weed eater and taking it home. He was subsequently arrested and searched, the report said.
The search revealed two bulbous glass pipes, one small and one large, with an unknown residue in the front right pocket of his shorts. The pipes were later swabbed, with both testing positive for methamphetamine, the report said.
A check of Bailey’s criminal history determined he was actively on probation for possession of methamphetamine in Lake County since March 9. He was not to be released until March 8, 2029, the report said.
As such, Bailey was charged with petit theft (second offense), drug equipment (possess or use) and probation violation. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center without bond. Lake County has placed a hold on him, as well.