CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Cape Coral Police nailed two men for stealing from a construction site - they say the men face felony charges after trying to drive away with more than $400 dollars worth of materials.
On Wednesday, Cape Coral Police say a neighbor spotted a silver truck loading a trailer with wood from a construction home’s garage. They say the neighbor snapped a photo and alerted the construction manager.
Watch my report here...
“The construction manager said he had not given anyone permission to come take that wood, there was no-one authorized to be there at that point, so he went ahead and called the police,” said Lisa Greenberg, Cape Coral Police Department Public Affairs Officer.
On their way to the scene, officers say they spotted the silver truck and trailer from the picture and pulled it over. They arrested 30-year-old Jose Guadalupe Rea Montes, and his passenger, 33-year-old Jose Luis Albarzo, after confirming they stole the wood.
“Cape Coral is booming. We are seeing so much construction throughout the area that there is a lot of opportunity for this type of crime, and we really are reliant on our neighbors to be able to speak up if they see something suspicious,” Greenberg explained.
Both men were charged with burglary, and Montes also faces a charge for driving without a license. Police say the stolen wood was returned to the construction manager.
Police say construction thefts are common.
That's why they’ve issued a warning on Facebook advising construction managers to inform neighbors and secure their materials better.
“In these types of cases we really encourage people to find other outside locations to store their construction materials if that’s possible,” said Greenberg.
If you see suspicious activity and don’t have the construction manager’s number, police urge you to call their non-emergency line.
