Homeless man arrested for multiple burglaries in Englewood

Published:
Matthew O’Connor, 26, photo via Charlotte County Sheriff’s Department.

A 26-year-old homeless man was arrested Monday on multiple charges of burglary and theft in Englewood.

Matthew O’Connor was located and arrested after someone saw and reported suspicious behavior to law enforcement, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

At 9:30 am. Monday, deputies responded to a call about a stolen motorcycle on Faust Drive in Englewood.  Deputies found the motorcycle 50 miles away pushed behind a business. The victim said that they thought someone had also entered their unlocked car.

O’Connor was interviewed at the time, however there was no evidence or indication that he was related to the crime according to CCSO.

At 2:30 p.m. a home burglary was reported on McKinley Terrace. The victim said he left and locked his house at 1:30 p.m., but when he returned home, a rear window was broken and his house had been ransacked.

The victim reported $500 worth of jewelry missing.

At 4:00 p.m. a woman flagged down a deputy and said she believed there was a person in her home on Wilmington. She said there were wet khaki shorts and shoes laying on the floor of her garage that she didn’t recognize when she got home, according to CCSO.

Law enforcement found a black bag and a guitar case in the woods behind her home. The bag and case contained stolen items including an airsoft rifle, a guitar, cell phones and other property.

Later that day, a resident on Ronda Street reported another burglary, saying a man was standing soaking wet on his back porch and knocked on the back door to apologize for using the victim’s pool without permission, CCSO said.

Deputies found the suspect’s belongings and other stolen items near a canal on Winchester Boulevard. While processing the scene, a person flagged down a deputy to report a suspicious person loitering near a Walmart. Deputies identified the man as O’Connor and confirmed with the last victim that O’Connor was the man on his back porch.

O’Connor said he is homeless but is on probation for theft out of Polk County. He was arrested on charges of burglary, grand theft, trespassing among others.

O’Connor is currently being held on no bond at the Charlotte County Jail.

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