A North Fort Myers resident’s front lawn is looking a whole lot more crowded today after local detectives successfully cracked the case of the missing garden gnomes.
The neighborhood mystery kicked off on May 19, 2026, when a local homeowner noticed her decorative lawn ornaments had suddenly vanished. Hoping for a lead, she checked her Ring security camera. The footage captured an unusual sight: a suspect rolling up to the property on a highly distinctive tricycle, stepping into the yard, snatching the gnomes, and pedaling away into the sunset.
Detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office 1st Precinct Crime Section took the case and began searching for the three-wheeled bandit.
The investigation paid off on June 2, 2026, when deputies spotted a man matching the suspect’s description at a local homeless camp in North Fort Myers. The man, identified as John Ramey, was found in possession of a tricycle that perfectly matched the one captured on the victim’s surveillance footage.
Ramey cooperated with the authorities, leading detectives directly to his campsite. There, hidden among his belongings, police discovered the entire stash of stolen garden gnomes.
Detectives confirmed the ceramic refugees belonged to the victim and promptly returned them to their rightful patch of dirt. Ramey, however, did not get a happy ending. He was arrested and booked into the Lee County Jail, charged with Petit Theft with Two or More Prior Convictions.
READ: ‘Your Room Is Ready’: 500-Plus Pills And Cocaine Later, Florida Dealer Lands Back In Jail
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