A pair from Summerfield were taken into custody after trespassing on an active construction site to steal from the dumpsters.
A man sitting on his front porch on Southeast 23rd Avenue in Summerfield spotted flashlights moving around the area at 10:20 p.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. He kept an eye on the suspects, who were eventually identified as 42-year-old Shannon Helean Verticelli and 41-year-old Christina Marie Vanhorn, and suspected someone had broken into one of the homes.
Shortly after, the resident heard a voice remark, “Let’s get out of here,” as a dark Ford SUV approached to pick them up. He witnessed the suspects enter the rear driver’s seat and what he assumed to be the front passenger seat before the vehicle drove southbound. According to the complaint, law enforcement officers responded to the prospective burglary by stopping an identical Ford Expedition with four occupants.
A clear plastic bag containing stripped copper wire and materials similar to those used in residential construction rested between Verticelli and Vanhorn in the back seat. The former claimed she and the latter were walking toward Highway 42 to meet her brother for a trip home after he had run errands. While passing by the construction site, they decided to grab what they assumed was waste, according to the investigation.
She testified that the couple climbed inside the enormous construction dumpsters on site to remove objects such as a wooden pallet, bits of drywall, and copper wiring. Vanhorn confirmed this account, but said that they planned to investigate the dumpsters before arriving at the location. They knew the property was under construction, so they utilized a little black flashlight, according to the report.
Both women denied entering the premises, and an assessment of the scene uncovered no forceful entry or proof that they had gone inside. A deputy discovered a wooden pallet and fragments of drywall outside the dumpster. He also saw prominently placed signs warning against trespassing, according to the report.
During interviews, Verticalli’s brother and the other male passenger stated that they were purchasing groceries and paying a power bill when the women requested a ride. They picked up Verticelli and Vanhorn in front of the construction site, right before the traffic stop.
Verticelli and Vanhorn were detained on allegations of trespassing at a construction site and petit theft. They were booked into the Marion County Jail, and both bail were set at $3,000.
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