Man on bike caught stealing rake from yard by Ring doorbell

A Eustis man was arrested after a woman’s Ring doorbell captured him stealing a rake from her yard and riding away on his bike.

An officer responded to 1201 Sunshine Avenue regarding a theft of a garden rake around 6:51 p.m. Saturday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. En route to the residence, he passed the Y-intersection of Sunshine Avenue and 13th He walked down the street and noticed a black SUV parked in the large concrete area. He continued to the residence and the SUV followed him.

Upon arrival at the residence, the SUV pulled into the front lawn and the robbery victim got out of the driver’s seat. The officer spoke to her briefly and she said her Ring doorbell alerted her to the movement. She reviewed the footage and noticed a man, later identified as Shawn Jermaine Brinson, 39, enter her yard on a bicycle, grab her leaf rake and drive off with it, the report said.

The victim got into his vehicle and called LPD for assistance. He then followed Brinson to the wooded area near the Y-intersection of Sunshine Avenue and 13th Street, according to the report.

The officer was able to view the Ring doorbell footage and recorded it with his body camera while speaking with the victim. He obtained a verbal intent to prosecute from the victim, and she told him the rake was worth $29.99 at Lowes, the report said.

The officer then returned to the Y-intersection and approached a tent in the wooded area. As he approached the tent, he noticed a leaf rake and an individual matching the man seen in the video and identified as Brinson. The officer began securing the rake and asked him to step outside the tent, the report said.

Brinson said he was going to return the rake, but he simply borrowed it. The officer handcuffed him, and Brinson said he couldn’t believe he was being arrested for borrowing a rake. He also said he noticed the Ring doorbell camera on the victim’s residence and knew he was being recorded, according to the report.

The officer was able to take photos of the leaf rake before returning to the victim. The investigation was also recorded on his body camera. Brinson was then transported to LPD for the booking process while another officer returned the rake and obtained a written statement with the intent to prosecute, the report said.

A criminal background check on Brinson revealed he had been convicted of petit larceny on May 9, the report said.

Brinson was charged with petty theft (a prior conviction) and transported to the Lake County Jail. He was released on $1,000 bail.