On Feb. 6, police accused two Tampa men with stealing materials from the contractor they worked for and using those materials to remodel the home of one of the men. The 30-year-old and 25-year-old men both worked for a company that had been subcontracted by KB Homes. According to police, the two men had worked late at construction sites on multiple occasions and had taken items such as granite counter tops, appliances and molding.
Police said that the items had gone missing from construction sites in Gibsonton. Detectives began their investigation on Feb. 5. They said that, on Feb. 6, they found the items installed in the mobile home of the 30-year-old man in Davpam Mobile Home Park. The 25-year-old’s home was apparently being used for storage of the items that had been replaced. Police said that the materials were returned to KB Homes.
Both men were taken into custody. They were each charged with nine counts of grand theft and burglary. In addition, they were also each charged with three counts of criminal mischief. Authorities said that the investigation was ongoing and that the men could face additional charges. If convicted, they could face time in jail, probation and fines.
In addition, the men could also face professional consequences. The 30-year-old man was the owner of the subcontracting company. A conviction for stealing work site materials would likely have an adverse effect on his business. A criminal defense attorney could help the accused men develop a defense to use at trial in order to obtain an acquittal. This would likely help mitigate both the criminal and professional consequences.
Source: The Tampa Tribune, “Tampa men charged with construction site thefts”, February 07, 2014