Arrest in Royal St Augustine vehicle burglaries

Deputies reported to Historic City News that a 22 year-old St Augustine man is responsible a rash of car break-ins that occurred around 6:00 a.m. yesterday morning in the Royal St Augustine neighborhood.

Richard William Graham, who resides at 7290 N 7th Street in St. Augustine, was arrested and charged with the attempted unarmed burglary of thirteen occupied conveyances, each count being a second-degree felony, and one charge of trespassing on property that is not a structure or conveyance, a first-degree misdemeanor, together with one charge of loitering or prowling, a second-degree misdemeanor.

A witness who lives in the community told Deputy Joey Romer that he observed Graham try to gain access to approximately a dozen vehicles within the parking lot, by pulling on the door handles.

Deputy Josh Underwood, aided by his Police Service Dog, “Aero”, first spotted Graham when they turned out of Florida Club Boulevard Southwest onto Royal St Augustine Parkway.

“I observed a white male wearing blue jeans and a red Romano’s Pizza t-shirt,” Underwood told reporters. “Graham was walking between the fence and the condominiums.”

The witness said that, from his window, he observed Graham slip through the break in the fence then walk down the sidewalk towards SR-16. According to the witness statement, he saw the deputy secure Graham, and then walked from his residence to the scene. The witness positively identified Graham as the man he saw attempting to gain access to the parked vehicles.

Graham, who had an active trespass warning on file from the area, claimed to have been on his way home after visiting his girlfriend. Deputies found several pieces of stolen property in Graham’s pockets; including two automotive GPS devices and a woman’s Louis Vuitton designer wallet.

Deputies are continuing their investigation to determine if there are additional victims. Graham remains in custody this morning in lieu of $66,000 bail.