Man arrested for burglary at Ocean Reef

Sheriff’s deputies and Ocean Reef Public Safety Officers arrested a Miami man Tuesday evening for burglarizing a house at the Key Largo resort neighborhood.

Deputy Kyle Page was contacted by a public safety officer just before 6 p.m. who said a suspicious person riding a bike had just fled from him when he asked him who he was and what he was doing there. He said the man was riding a bike and, when he asked him for his name and asked if he was a resident, the man told him to mind his own business and he fled on the bike toward the front gate.

A short time later, a citizen called Sheriff’s dispatchers to say a man fitting the bike rider’s description was attempting to flag down vehicles just south of the Ocean Reef gate. An Ocean Reef officer responded to that location The man was riding his bike on County Road 905 and refused to stop when ordered to do so. As the officer followed, the man dropped his bike and jumped into the water, swimming away.

At that point, Deputy Page received information there had been a burglary reported at Ocean Reef at a home on Exuma Drive. Someone entered the home and took a money clip with cash in it. During the investigation of the burglary, deputies learned there was a day worker at the resort that had gone missing from his job site. He fit the description of the person who was fleeing from officers. He was identified as 22 year old Michael Brandt.

Deputy Page responded to the location where the suspect had jumped into the water. When he got there he spotted him, and told him he wanted to speak with him. The man – later identified as Brandt – ran and jumped back in the water, again swimming away.

As deputies were searching for him, an FWC officer on his way to assist found Brandt standing on the roadway. He was taken into custody. He admitted entering a house and taking a nap in the air conditioning. He also admitted taking money that was in the house. He said when he woke up he heard people in the house, so he fled.

Brandt was arrested. He was charged with burglary, grand theft, criminal mischief and resisting arrest. He was booked into jail.

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