Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Larceny After Stealing, Scrapping Dozens of Window Screens Meant for Installation in Oakleaf Forest Homes
NORFOLK, Va. — Lucas Brandon South, 38, pleaded guilty on June 5 to grand larceny after he stole and scrapped dozens of window security screens meant to be installed in homes in the Oakleaf Forest community last year.
At the time of the thefts, Mr. South was working as a subcontractor for the company that bought the window screens. On Dec. 13, a supervisor from that company reported that 88 screens, which were each valued at $250, had been stolen from their job site in the Oakleaf Forest neighborhood. That supervisor visited a local junkyard to investigate whether the stolen screens — which were special-ordered from out of state and made from metals such as stainless steel and aluminum — had been sold for scrapping. At the junkyard, the supervisor found some of the stolen screens and received a description from a junkyard employee of the man (later identified as Mr. South) who had been selling them over the course of several months. Based on that description, the supervisor was able to identify Mr. South and reported him to his employer. After being confronted by his employer, Mr. South admitted to stealing and scrapping the window screens.
On June 5, Mr. South entered an agreement to plead guilty as charged to felony grand larceny and face an active sentence up to the midpoint of his state sentencing guidelines, which will be calculated by probation ahead of his sentencing hearing. Judge Jennifer L. Fuschetti accepted Mr. South’s plea agreement and set his sentencing on Aug. 1.
“Mr. South did not just steal from his employer or from the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority. He stole from the low-income residents in public housing who deserve both to feel fresh air and to be able to do so free of concern about someone coming into their homes,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “I commend Mr. South’s supervisor. The supervisor’s quick work and intuition helped the police solve the crime and helped us work to hold Mr. South responsible for this crime against our vulnerable neighbors.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Bailey C. Ottinger is prosecuting Mr. South’s case, and Norfolk Police Detective Joseph J. Caruso led the investigation.
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