[graciegirl]

copied from The Daily Sun today May 16, 2012

Appliances taken from 16 homes in string of crimes.
Staff Report.

The Villages-Three people were arrested in cnnection with a string of burglaries in The Villages that resulted in household appliances being taken from 16 different homes, according to Capt. Kevin Hofecker of the Sumter County Sheriff"s Office.

Hofecker said the burglaries started around March 1 and ended around April 12 with the arrest of a suspect.

The burglaries took place, according to Hofecker, at newly constructed homes in The Villages that were nearing completion.

The suspects took new appliances from the residences before the homes were occupied., he said.

The stolen items, according to Hofecker, ranged from washers and dryers to microwaves and ranges.

The first arrest came April 13 after Sumter sheriff's Detective Brad Wasson pieced together video surveillance evidence.

In the video, Wasson was able to see a black Chevrolet truck leaving the area with a load of appliances.

The video showed a portion of the license number, and Wasson was able to determine ownership, according to reports.

Wasson was able to identify the driver of the vehicle as Steven Michael Haislip, 26, of Belleview.

Haislip was arrested and charged with one count of grand theft, according to his arrest affidavit.

Bond was set at $7,000 according to jail records.

Wasson learned that Haislip and others were being directed to the homes by a construction worker in The Villages, who told them where the stocked homes were located, Hofecker said.

On May 1, Daniel Keith Sipes, 39, of Belleview was arrested on the job, according to reports.

Sipes was charged with one count of burglary, and h is bond was set at $2,000, according to jail records.

A third suspect, Cynthia Elizabeth Vilar, 26, was arrested at her residence located in the 13000 block of SE County Road 25 in Belleview, Hofecker said.

Vilar was charged with one count of burglary and one count of grand theft, according to arrest affidavit. Bond was set at $7,000. according to jail records.

Authorities have not been able to recover any of the missingi items, Hofecker said.

(Copied for the interest of folks off campus.,GG.)