Good police work enabled local law enforcement to team up and nab three men suspected in a string of smash-and-grab burglaries.
The trio at 3:49 a.m. Wednesday allegedly smashed the front window at the Sprint store on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 near Home Depot in Lady Lake. The burglary alarm sounded and police arrived on scene, but not before the men made off with $4,857 in merchandise from the store.
Detectives examined video surveillance from the store and alerted local law enforcement with descriptions of the three suspects.
A Tavares police officer, armed with the information from the Lady Lake Police Department, spotted three men committing a pedestrian violation on State Road 500. He was able to send a photograph of the suspects back to the Sprint store manager and it was determined that the clothing the men were wearing matched the clothing of the men captured on video surveillance. A vehicle of one of the suspects was discovered nearby. In the bushes, a backpack containing Sprint phones was found. Other Sprint cell phones and cases were found in the area.
The suspects were taken into custody and have been identified as:
• Earl Anthony Mellad, 21, of Orlando.
• Jeffry Devieux, 20, of Pine Hills.
• Gerrode Devon Johnson, 20, of Orlando.
They were taken into custody at 5:44 a.m.
All three are facing burglary charges and are being held without bond at the Lake County Jail.
The three men are suspected to have been involved in similar burglaries in Melbourne, Kissimmee and Sumter County.
