Convicted Thief Charged For Stealing Lawn Mower

A man with a frequent history of burglaries is now facing another burglary charge for stealing a lawnmower.

The burglary occurred Jan. 7 at 428 N. Osprey Ave., when the suspect removed a lawn mower from a secured storage area. 

A witness intially thought the man was the landlord's employee, but noticed that the padlocked had been forced open and notice the man fleeing toward U.S. 301, according to Sarasota Police.

Sarasota Police were dispatched to the burglary when Officer Cespedes responded to North Osprey Avenue to meet with the witness. Within minutes Officer Morningstar and Officer Sullivan located Eric Ramos, pushing a mower, in the 2100 block of 6th Street, according to police. The witness was transported to that location and positively identified Ramos as the suspect, according to police. 

Officers read Miranda Warnings to Ramos and Ramos admitted to taking the mower, accoring to police. 

Ramos said a man named “Chuck” had told him he could use the mower to mow lawns, according to police.  Sgt. Castro found a resident who had been contacted by Ramos prior to the officers’ arrival who said Ramos never asked about mowing his lawn and that Ramos offered to sell the stolen mower to the resident, according to police.    

Ramos faces one count of burglary, and has 39 criminal charges in his past, including 18 felonies, according to police.

Ramos has previously been arrested for 39 criminal charges, 18 of those charges were felonies. Ramos has 15 previous convictions, including 9 felony convictions.   

He remains in Sarasota County Jail on the latest burglary charge, according to police.