[graciegirl]

The Daily Sun 1/21/2012

The Villages-Information from an ex-girlfriend led Marion County detectives to arrest a Summerfield man on charges tied to three jewelry thefts in The Villages and another in Summerfield, according to Marion County Sherriff's Office officials.

Detectives arrested 30 year-old John Carrol Story at approximately 11:50 a.m. at a home in the 14600 block of SE 87th Court, according to arrest affidavits. He could face four sets of charges of burglary and grand theft, according to the affidavits, and his bond was set at $200,000.

According to arrest affidavits, detectives said Story was involved in a series of burglaries and thefts that took place between Oct. 1, 2011 and Jan. 14, in The Villages, Wildwood, Sumter County and Marion County. Lt.Scott Byrd, commander of the South Marion District of the Marion County Sheriff's Office, said the arrest was part of a combined effort with the Wildwood Sheriff's Office as well as Community Watch in The Villages. Byrd said additional charges are pending.

Altogether, he said, detectives believe, Story was involved in the theft of more than $50,000 worth of property, much of it jewelry.

"He was going into the house and he was targeting jewelry," Byrd said. "Jewelry is one of those things where you can grab it and carry i out the door. It's easy to conceal."

Byrd said investigators were led to Story by information given to them by Story's ex-girlfriend. According to the arrest affidavits, detectives were led to a man who identified himself as the driver of the getaway vehicle, who showed them where the thefts took place, provided descriptions of what they did, and told them the motives for the thefts were drugs and money.

After Story was arrested,he was taken to the South Marion District Office in The Villages where he was questioned, and denied any involvement with any of the four cases, the affidavits stated. Byrd said the department has been in touch with the residents who reported the thefts, to keep them updated in the case.

"We're talking to the victims and obviously they're very relieved," he said.

BYrd said the next step is to try to recover the stolen property. Even if it's not recovered , he said an arrest can bring about peace of mind.

"It gives them some closure, and it helps them sleep at night."

[Posh 08]

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Now there's a bit of good news! Thanks for posting it, Gracie!

Bill

[Cynbod]

Thanks for letting us know.

[villages07]

Glad to hear an arrest has been made.

It will be interesting if they can uncover how he targeted his victims. Someone looking for jewelry and small valuables would be disappointed in my home and probably quite a few others. How did he know there was valuable jewelry readily accessible?

[De Lis]

Thank you so very much - it helps us ALL!

[Skybo]

You can see his mug shot by going to the link below and then clicking on the right scroll button about 4 times.

http://www.mugshotsocala.com/?sex=male

[Bogie Shooter]

And to think all that information was in the Daily Sun. We have, in the past, told all the Sun bashers to just be patient.

[RichieB]

Originally Posted by Skybo;4***89

You can see his mug shot by going to the link below and then clicking on the right scroll button about 4 times.

what a fine collection of "characters."

How did Eileen Martin sneak in there ?

[CarolSells]

"Man arrested on jewelry theft charges"

"Never under estimate the power of a woman scorned" by anonymous.

Wow, thanks Gracie. You're our Star Reporter, for sure!

Yeah, I'm anxious for the full details about how he operated to come out, too.

[GatorFan]

Ocala Star Banner has article in paper. Ring of at least three people. The Marion County thefts totalled around $21,000 in items. Targeted homes that the garage was up and no vehicles inside. Assumed residents were not at home. This is exactly why I do not leave my garage open and I always lock the door coming into the house from garage even when it is closed.

Reason for thefts.....To support drug habit.

[Skybo]

Originally Posted by GatorFan

Ocala Star Banner has article in paper. Ring of at least three people. The Marion County thefts totalled around $21,000 in items. Targeted homes that the garage was up and no vehicles inside. Assumed residents were not at home. This is exactly why I do not leave my garage open and I always lock the door coming into the house from garage even when it is closed.

Reason for thefts.....To support drug habit.

Here is the link to the Ocala story.
http://www.ocala.com/article/2012012...20129971?tc=cr


I have to wonder if "open garages" led to TV burglaries though. Advisor (one of the victims who posts on TOTV) stated that a metal bar was used to pry open his front door, and the other more recent theft that was discussed here involved forced entry through a slider. If the garage door is open, why break in through the front door or slider? Even if the door between the house and garage is locked, it seems it would be an easier and less obvious point of entry.

In any case, so glad they got the guys. And it turns out it didn’t have anything to do with targeting Villagers specifically or having “inside information” from neighbors or contractors as was theorized by a few posters.

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by Skybo

Here is the link to the Ocala story.
http://www.ocala.com/article/2012012...20129971?tc=cr


I have to wonder if "open garages" led to TV burglaries though. Advisor (one of the victims who posts on TOTV) stated that a metal bar was used to pry open his front door, and the other more recent theft that was discussed here involved forced entry through a slider. If the garage door is open, why break in through the front door or slider? Even if the door between the house and garage is locked, it seems it would be an easier and less obvious point of entry.

In any case, so glad they got the guys. And it turns out it didn’t have anything to do with targeting Villagers specifically or having “inside information” from neighbors or contractors as was theorized by a few posters.

It seems that the most popular assumption is that anyone who lives in The Villages has lots of money. Like one other poster on here, if they broke into my house, they would most likely leave a donation!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by dillywho

It seems that the most popular assumption is that anyone who lives in The Villages has lots of money. Like one other poster on here, if they broke into my house, they would most likely leave a donation!

They may or may not have money, but I would guess that only about ten per cent are jewelry "owners" in the sense that they have enough good jewelry to entice thieves. My mind is going all over possiblities and I wonder if the common denominator was a cleaning woman who was the "ex" or not ex-girlfriend and they came to her and she gave him up.

I know. I am a frustrated crime story writer.

Just thinkin' is all.

[tkret]

Originally Posted by Skybo;4***89

You can see his mug shot by going to the link below and then clicking on the right scroll button about 4 times.

http://www.mugshotsocala.com/?sex=male

Now, those are some handsome dudes. Right out of GQ magazine for sure!!!