A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office investigation into a break-in at A.P. Bell Fish Co. in Cortez ended with a 30-year-old Bradenton man in custody.
Brock Shepherd was arrested for allegedly burglarizing the fish house May 2 and stealing a safe containing $120, as well as other thefts from A.P. Bell and west county locations.
Shepherd allegedly stole kayaks, lawn equipment and power tools and obtained money for the items from Bradenton pawn shops between March and May.
In one of seven cases filed in 12th Circuit Court, an MCSO report states Shepherd told deputies he took the items to support his drug addiction and he was high when he committed the crimes.
Shepherd was a former A.P. Bell employee, who, according to an MCSO report, had been fired after admitting to thefts from the company.
A.P. Bell’s owner reported he stole the safe, a kayak and several tools, including nail guns, hammer drills and tool sets.
The state attorney’s office opened cases involving the alleged A.P. Bell thefts and, at press time, filed two counts of dealing in stolen property and one count of defrauding a pawnbroker.
Shepherd’s next court date is set for 9 a.m. Friday, July 1, at Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.