People read things differently, I guess. I have only seen one post where the question was asked if the keys were in the cart because the owner was gone from the cart for such a short time. Ten minutes is a pretty short time to steal a cart without the keys, in a public parking lot, so logical question, if one is trying to figure out how it happened. I absolutely did not read any blame into the post.

Very unfair that Sparkman's bond is $5,000. Telling a detective that he was "high" ..... heck, he should have a much higher bond just being an idiot to begin with.

Please explain, anyone, what difference it makes, if it is known if the key was in the ignition or not?

Similiar to some poster, posting they saw police lights at a rec center and ask if anyone knows what happened. What difference does it make if you know or not? Go buy a scanner!

Thank you Sheriffs Dept for a job well done!

cisco kid

You just crack me up

I think some may have gotten the wrong idea when I asked if the key was left in the cart. It is easy to do. I did that one time in our church parking lot. Good thing Lutherans are honest.:ohdear:

Of course the perps are bad folk and deserve to be locked up.

Common sense applies in The Villages like anywhere else. Don't leave keys in the cart, car, front door open, garage open, etc.

The perps probably would have moved to easier pickings if they were not in the cart - but a crime of opportunity presented itself. Ask the insurance company.

How did they catch them?

Villages burglary suspect had access through cleaning service job
February 20, 2014 By Meta Minton Leave a Comment
Christopher Sparkman
A joint operation Wednesday night between the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office led to the recovery of a Villagers’ golf cart and may have netted an even bigger prize.
Christopher Lee Sparkman, 34, of Oxford, was one of two men arrested and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle.
You can read more about that case at the link below:
http://www.**************.com/pair-a...ulberry-grove/
But Sparkman has also been on the radar of some Sumter County detectives looking for a break in a rash of burglaries in The Villages.
He is a suspect in at least two Villages burglaries in which jewelry was stolen. He could be connected to more Villages burglaries, said Lt. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Sparkman worked for a cleaning service.
“He had access and knew the layout in some of these homes,” Caruthers said.
Thus far, Sparkman has been charged with two counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle (one for the golf cart theft), burglary of an unoccupied dwelling (unarmed) and grand theft.
One of the grand theft auto charges is in connection with an automobile stolen in Lake Panasoffkee.
There have been at least a dozen burglaries in The Villages in the past month.
Earlier this month, Sumter County sheriff’s deputies foiled a separate burglary in The Villages. You can read about that at the link below:
http://www.**************.com/deputi...ge-fernandina/

He worked for a cleaning service? Does anyone know which one?

You see the sores on Sparkman's face? That and rotten or missing front teeth, looking haggard or thin are common signs of meth use. Sparkman was released from prison in 2012 where he served time for possession of meth and other controlled substances. If you want to check someone out, just do a search for "State of FL Dept of Corrections" and you can easily see if they have served prison time, have been let out, or have absconded.

This guy watched too much Breaking Bad! He reminds me of Jesse from that show! :ohdear:
Why did a cleaning company hire him with this extensive of a criminal background?

Former Michiganders, an even better question is: How is it that he was in prison and let out in 2012; had this golf cart red handed; it appears that there is evidence of some burglaries and a stolen car, yet his bond is only 5K?

Yes! Really would like to know what cleaning company! Was it one that is a well known that many of us might use like Molly Maids or Made to Shine etc? Very scary that we trust these people to come into our houses.

From what I read Bansley's bond is higher than Sparkman because he was charged with possession of stolen property found in his car. A defendant telling a police officer that he was high when he committed the crime is usually part of a calculated plan to try and get drug rehab rather than jail. And believe it or not, it sometimes works. I personally find it reprehensible but that it only my jaded opinion from dealing with criminals for 35 years.