Deputy arrests man for GPS theft
by Mike Quinn
 |
| Fred Leroy Gilliland, 51 |
A Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputy arrested a man Aug. 8 for stealing a GPS unit from a boat in Cortez.
Fred Leroy Gilliland, 51, told law enforcement he stays on a boat named Treasure One in the 4600 block of 124th Street West.
According to the arrest report, at about 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8, a crew member aboard Ms. Rebecca, a boat docked next to Treasure One, stepped away from his boat to use the rest room. On returning, he saw Gilliland getting some food aboard Ms. Rebecca.
When the crew member saw Gilliland aboard Ms. Rebecca, he said Gilliland circled the wheel house, then quickly moved to the front of the boat before returning to the Treasure One. The crew member then noticed that the GPS unit belonging on Ms. Rebecca was missing.
According to the deputy, the crew member next notified the owner of the boat, who said he was sure the GPS was there earlier in the day because he had been there working on the battery.
A video surveillance camera showed Gilliland was the only person on the boat at the time in question.
The owner of Ms. Rebecca next searched Treasure One while Gilliland was away from the boat, and found his GPS unit among Gilliland's belongings.
A deputy located Gilliland coming out of Skipper's Bar.
On questioning, Gilliland admitted being aboard Ms. Rebecca, but refused to answer questions without an attorney.
He was arrested and charged with burglary to an unoccupied vessel.
He remains in the Manatee County jail on a bail bond of $10,000.
Mike Quinn is publisher of NewsManatee.com, a news partner of The Islander. |
