A Venice Police officer on patrol interrupted a burglary even though the burglar thought he had prevented evidence of his crime.
Around 2:30 a.m., the officer was in the 400 block of S. Tamiami Trail, when he heard a loud noise behind the building where a cleaners and liquor store are located. When the officer investigated, he found Eric Michael Weed, who could not explain his presence and was consequently arrested for loitering and prowling.
Around 8 a.m., the manager of the liquor store reported to police that power to the breaker box of the building had been turned off around 2:30 a.m., which in turn turned off power to a surveillance camera. The video from the camera showed Weed opening the door of the store’s delivery truck, removing a large tent or awning and hiding it behind the dumpster, then with the aid of a flashlight, cutting the power to the business.
After the video was investigated by police, Weed was charged with the felony burglary of a conveyance and a misdemeanor of petit theft. He remains in the north county jail.