HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A routine stop at a local pawn shop cracked open a massive theft case for Hillsborough County Sheriff’s detectives, leading to the arrest of a Brandon man.
It all started when investigators spotted a brand-new blower sitting on the pawn shop floor during a standard inspection. They traced the item back to a local roofing company, a clue that quickly pointed them toward the business’s own warehouse manager, 35-year-old Joshua Maier.
According to the sheriff’s office, Maier spent months quietly stealing from his employer. Detectives found that he began taking the equipment in 2023 and repeatedly pawning company property for quick cash. All told, the missing gear was valued at more than $40,000.
Investigators managed to track down and recover several thousand dollars’ worth of the stolen goods. They successfully retrieved heavy-duty items including generators, ladders, and drills.
The situation compounded for Maier when detectives moved in to take him into custody. During his arrest, investigators discovered cocaine in his possession, adding drug charges to the list of offenses stemming from the warehouse thefts.
READ: Caught Speeding, Busted With Bricks: K9 Sniffs Out 2 Kilos Of Cocaine In Florida Felon’s Pickup
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