Michigan Man Arrested in Grand Theft Investigation; Rented Home Depot Equipment Valued at $30,000, Tried to Remove GPS, Sell on Facebook

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Deon Griffin, 31, rented a 2020 Gehl RT105 skid steer and trailer from the store the previous day and failed to return the items.
Deon Griffin, 31, rented a 2020 Gehl RT105 skid steer and trailer from the store the previous day and failed to return the items. Griffin was arrested by Citrus County Sheriff’s detectives on a charge of dealing in stolen property.

SPRING HILL, FL – On Tuesday, February 09, 2021, Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies responded to The Home Depot located at 4765 Commercial Way in Spring Hill to conduct a grand theft investigation. A loss prevention manager advised deputies that Deon Griffin, 31, rented a 2020 Gehl RT105 skid steer and trailer from the store the previous day and failed to return the items.

Griffin, who was visiting the area from Michigan, rented both items valued at more than $30,000 for a period of four hours. An investigation revealed Griffin transported the trailer and skid steer to an area off Halls River Road in Homosassa where he unsuccessfully attempted to disable the GPS tracking device.

Deputies were able to locate Facebook posts where Griffin was attempting to sell the stolen skid steer. On February 09, Hernando County Sheriff’s detectives in conjunction with the Citrus County Sheriff’s detectives made contact with Griffin at the Halls River Road address. Contact was also made with an individual who was preparing to purchase the skid steer from Griffin.

The buyer showed text messages from Griffin regarding the details of the purchase. Griffin was uncooperative with detectives at the scene as his account of the incident changed numerous times. Griffin was arrested by Citrus County Sheriff’s detectives on a charge of dealing in stolen property.

A warrant was later issued out of Hernando County for failure to return rental/leased property. Deputies located additional individuals at the property who were arrested for having active warrants. Randall Isaac Rice, 32, was arrested for a warrant out of Texas for failure to return rental/leased property. Darrius Renard Homesly, 32, was arrested for a warrant out of Virginia for failure to return rental/leased property. A third individual located on scene is being investigated for a similar incident that occurred on February 06, in Pinellas County. The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is available at this time.

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