A Florida man was taken into custody after a bizarre late-night spree left a neighborhood in disarray, with reports of him breaking into several homes and vandalizing property. Locals expressed relief that the situation didn’t escalate tragically.
The man, identified as 23-year-old Joshua Garrison, was captured on surveillance footage wandering through backyards in Pinellas Park, near St. Petersburg, last week, engaging in indecent behavior and causing considerable chaos.
Neighbor David Dale recounted, “I was sound asleep when the doorbell rang, so I went to answer it. When I opened the door, there was a guy standing there completely naked.”
Dale added, “He threw a plant pot through my truck window and yanked the lights off my front porch.”
Another resident reported that Garrison attempted to breach a window screen before dashing into a backyard, where he exhibited inappropriate behavior and later reappeared armed.
“He went into my shed and picked up an ax, then came back to my porch,” Thomas Reischmann said. “We’re not sure why he didn’t use it since my back door was unlocked at the time.”
Garrison even helped himself to a beer and soda from an outdoor refrigerator before making his getaway, hopping over Reischmann’s six-foot fence and disappearing into the night, as caught on video.
The string of unusual break-ins rattled the community, with one resident emphasizing that many locals are armed and prepared to protect their homes.
“We are all Second Amendment supporters here in Pinellas Park; we will use our firearms if necessary,” an unidentified neighbor shared with the outlet. “He was fortunate that we didn’t wake up.”
Police began responding to reports of the unsettling incidents on October 7 and apprehended Garrison on Tuesday. He is believed to be homeless, according to Fox 13 News.
Garrison is facing multiple charges, including armed burglary, two counts of residential burglary, lewd conduct, criminal mischief, and violating probation.
