Report: Facebook Marketplace ads lead deputies to home burglary suspects

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — Three home burglary suspects were arrested Monday after Marion County deputies say they stole several expensive items from a person’s home and immediately tried to sell them on Facebook.

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Deputies were called to a home on 129th Ave. in Silver Springs Monday for an investigation into a home burglary and stolen property.

Investigators determined the then unknown suspects had forced their way into the home at approximately 8:30 a.m. that day and stole two gaming consoles and a safe containing prescribed cannabis products.

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In all, deputies say the stolen property was valued at more than $2,500.

Investigators say they reviewed video from a neighbor’s security camera that shows a blue, four-door passenger car with front-end damage pass by the front of the victim’s home before pulling around the corner from it. Two black men are then seen running from the truck towards the home.

Deputies say the truck is then seen pulling back in front of the victim’s home before the two suspects run back to the car while carrying what appears to be the stolen property. Both men then get into the car and the suspects leave the area to the north.

While the crime scene was still being processed, deputies say the victim notified the sheriff’s office that there were two ads on Facebook Marketplace for the sale of the stolen gaming consoles.

The ads included photographs and videos of the items with distinguishing marks on them that were described by the victim.

Deputies say the ad was posted by a Facebook profile belonging to 20-year-old Thamydious McClain.

Marion County detectives made contact with the profile under the guise of wanting to buy the stolen items and arranged to meet at a specified location to exchange cash for the property.

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Deputies called McClain who described the car he would be in as a blue Hyundai Elantra and said his cousin, later identified as 18-year-old J’Von Hatten-Baker would be with him.

When deputies arrived at the predetermined location, they made contact with the suspect vehicle, which matched the description of the one seen in the neighbor’s security video, down to the front-end damage.

Deputies say McClain was in the rear driver’s side seat while Hatten-Baker was in the front passenger seat, and a third man, later identified as 19-year-old Dalton Goodman, was in the driver’s seat.

According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect vehicle was registered to Goodman. They also found a silver handgun in his waistband, which he was not legally allowed to carry due to his age.

Once the stolen items were positively identified, deputies say they detained all three suspects and took them to the sheriff’s office for further questioning.

According to the sheriff’s office, in their interviews, all three suspects admitted to being together at Hatten-Baker’s home before going to the victim’s home to commit the burglary.

Deputies say Hatten-Baker and McClain both admitted to entering the home and stealing the items while Goodman admitted to driving them both to and from the location.

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Hatten-Baker and McClain went on to admit that they both went to a pawn shop in an attempt to sell the items but declined because the payment offered was too low.

All three suspects were arrested and charged with grand theft and dealing in stolen property. Hatten-Baker and McClain were additionally charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling.

For the firearm he was carrying, Goodman was also charged with possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony and illegally carrying a concealed firearm.

Hatten-Baker and McClain remain in the Marion County Jail on a total of $5,500 bond. Goodman is being held on $12,500 bond.

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