A maintenance worker at the Sundance Trails Apartments in Wildwood has been arrested after he allegedly stole a gaming device from a tenant’s unit.
Justin Joel Valentin, 31, who lives in The Groves development on Lake Ella Road in Lady Lake, was arrested by the Wildwood Police Department on felony charges of unarmed burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and grand theft.
The theft was discovered May 27 when a tenant returned home to find his Steam Deck gaming console and carrying case, valued at approximately $900, had been stolen. The victim told police that a maintenance worker was scheduled to be in the apartment that week to perform work, and responding officers noted the air conditioning thermostat had been removed from the wall.
To track down the stolen device, detectives subpoenaed the console’s internet protocol (IP) address history. The records quickly traced back to Valentin, who management confirmed was employed as a maintenance worker at the complex, which was recently rocked by a shooting.
A detective confronted Valentin in the apartment complex parking lot. When asked about the missing device, Valentin immediately admitted to taking it. According to the arrest report, he told the detective he simply saw the Steam Deck sitting there and decided to take it because he thought the apartment was abandoned “due to the roaches.”
The detective asked Valentin to return the property to the police department the following day and allowed him to finish his shift. However, Valentin voluntarily showed up at the Wildwood Police Department a few hours later with the stolen console in hand to return it to the victim. He told officers he was not going to run and “wanted to deal with the consequences.”
Valentin was taken into custody and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center, where he was being held without bond.