A Florida burglary suspect seemingly got tired after breaking into a home. Hillsborough County deputies say a Florida burglary suspect fell asleep on the victim’s couch while residents were still inside.
The strange arrest happened in Wimauma at approximately 11 p.m. on Sept. 15. Deputies responded after someone reported a burglary in progress.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect first tried to pry open the front door of one home. He then allegedly entered a second home through the back door.
Deputies found him asleep on the couch after entering through an open sliding door. He was also reportedly wearing the homeowner’s shoes.
The Family Found a Backpack in the House
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The bodycam video begins with deputies checking the first home’s front door. They later find a bicycle they believe belongs to the suspect and move toward the second house.
Inside, a deputy asks the family if the backpack belongs to them. After they say no, a child can be heard telling his father that someone has been inside their house.
Deputies search the home and find a man stretched out on the couch. He appears to be sleeping as they approach him.
He Claimed He Lived There
The man wakes up to several deputies standing around the couch. When asked whether he lives there, he says he does. The actual homeowner quickly tells the deputy that the answer is no. Deputies place the man in handcuffs and lead him outside.
The sheriff’s office later learned that the shoes he was wearing belonged to the homeowner. It did not explain what happened to the suspect’s own shoes.
He Faces 5 Charges
The sheriff’s office identified the suspect as 26-year-old Erick Moreno. He was arrested on two counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling with a weapon.
According to the HCSO arrest database, Moreno remained at the Orient Road Jail as of Sept. 18. His booking record lists a total bond of $25,500 and a federal ICE hold. He was also charged with possession of burglary tools, resisting an officer without violence and a false identification card offense.
The sheriff’s office has not identified the weapon mentioned in the burglary charges. Under Florida law, becoming armed with a dangerous weapon during a burglary can make the offense a first-degree felony.