Police report that on Friday, Feb. 3, at about 8:35 a.m., a Lake Wales city employee found a small plastic bag containing numerous baggies and a brown leafy substance inside a city owned trash receptacle on D Street. Police confirmed this as marijuana.

The trash can was located in front of an empty lot. When the city employee was emptying the trash, he noticed the plastic baggie. He told police that upon taking a closer look at the plastic bag, he noticed the bag, a police report notes.

The city worker noted his crew has been instructed to call the police upon finding any suspicious items. Police note that the weight of the marijuana was 3.9 grams and after taking a photo of it for evidence, marked the bag for destruction.

The case has been closed.

Fraudulent credit
card use reported

On Monday, Jan. 30, a woman reported fraudulent use of her debit/credit card.

The victim told police that on Friday, Jan. 17, someone used her debit/credit card to make two payments to
DirectTV. One transaction was for $441.63 and the other was $114.14. She said she did not authorize the payments, adding the payments did not go onto her DirectTV account, the Lake Wales Police Department reported. She said she asked other family members if they used her debit/credit card and all
denied making the transactions,
according to reports.

She was advised to file a police report and notify her bank.

The case is still under investigation.

Two identity thefts reported

On Thursday, Feb. 2, a man and a woman told the Lake Wales Police Department that when they tried to file their income tax, it was rejected as they were told their returns were already filed.

According to reports, when the woman tried to file her 2011 income taxes with the IRS electronically, it was rejected. The IRS then advised her that someone had already filed income taxes using her Social Security number.

The man told police when he went to file his 2011 tax returns electronically, it was rejected. Reports note the IRS told him someone had already filed income taxes using his Social Security number.

Both were told by the police to contact the Federal Trade Commission and file a formal complaint, and advised to file a police report as well.

The female said she did not know who would have used her information to file an income tax return. Police told her to also notify the credit bureaus and the Social Security Office regarding the incident.

Both cases are under investigation.

Animal control officer charged with grand theft, dealing in stolen property

A Polk County Sheriff’s Animal Control Officer was arrested on Monday and charged with two counts grand theft and one count dealing in stolen property after investigation revealed he allegedly stole money from a “Save Our Homeless Pets” donation box, and stole other items that were donated to animal control.

The sheriff’s office alleges that 21-year-old Benjamin Derrick, of Fort Meade, has been removing cash from a “Save Our Homeless Pets” donation box that was placed on the front counter at the Animal Control facility located at 7115 DeCastro Road in Winter Haven, for the past six months.

Derrick confessed to detectives to taking the money with no intention of paying it back, a spokesperson for the department said. Derrick also admitted to taking items donated by local businesses such as Publix, Purina Farms and Tractor Supply, and private citizens, including dog food, treats, toys, beds, leashes, brushes, etc., intended for use by the animals housed at animal control, the sheriff’s office reports.

However, there was no indication in the report that Derrick benefitted directly from taking the items. Instead, he told detectives he would give the stolen items to friends, family members and veterinary clinics.

According to sheriff’s office, detectives located three large garbage bags filled with the aforementioned items in the bed of Derrick’s pickup truck. Detectives also found within the bags items purchased by animal control for use at the facility, including flea medication, shampoo, flea collars, and cleaning supplies.

In all, police estimate the value of removed property at some $10,000.

Derrick was hired by sheriff’s office in December 2010 as a detention support specialist. He transferred to animal control in February 2011 and was assigned to the kennels. He resigned from the agency upon his arrest Monday.

He was booked into the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on a $7,000 bond.

Derrick’s father, Frank, covers the Fort Meade high school football team for the Fort Meade Leader.

—Compiled by Kathy Leigh Berkowitz