Key Largo – A Key Largo man was arrested Thursday after witnesses say him stealing items people left on the beach while they were swimming.
The incident took place at the Hilton Hotel at the 97 mile marker in Key Largo at 4:30 p.m. Witnesses – including hotel employees - told responding deputies they saw 22 year old Sterling Brower taking items from the beach. The stolen items belonged to guests who had left their belongings on the beach while swimming.
The witnesses said Brower had fled once he realized he had been seen stealing the items. He was seen putting all the stolen items into the trunk of a gold colored Mercedes in the parking lot, then jumped over a fence onto adjoining property.
Brower was apprehended on the adjoining property and was positively identified by the witnesses. Detectives arrived and obtained a search warrant for the trunk of the Mercedes, which was registered to Brower. All the stolen items – including Iphones, camera equipment, purses and Ipods, were found in the trunk and were returned to the owners.
Brower was arrested. He was charged with three counts of grand theft and with resisting arrest. He was booked into jail.