A 29-year-old Brandon man has been arrested and charged with the theft of nearly $800 worth of lottery tickets from a convenience store in south Lakeland. David Martinez Santiesteban turned himself in to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) on September 5, following a string of thefts that began in late August.
According to the PCSO, four separate thefts of lottery tickets occurred at the store on August 24, 28, 29, and 30. The total value of the stolen tickets was $785. In response to the repeated incidents, the store implemented new measures to prevent further thefts, which proved successful.
When the suspect attempted another theft on September 3, he was unable to get away with any tickets.
Detectives Arcila and Evans investigated the case, identifying Santiesteban as the suspect and securing an arrest warrant. Santiesteban reportedly arrived at the PCSO’s Southwest District Office and admitted to his crimes.
Santiesteban faces multiple charges, including four counts of burglary, four counts of petit theft, and one count of attempted burglary. Due to his travel across county lines, the burglary charges were enhanced one degree.