Man Arrested For Brazen Theft At Cantonment Business

May 17, 2016

A Bonifay man has been arrested in  connection with a brazen theft  just before closing time Friday at a Cantonment business.

Matthew Silvester Schriefer, 35. was charged with two counts of felony grand theft. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $3,000.

Schriefer allegedly walked into A-1 Small Engines in Cantonment and walked out with nearly $1,000 in small power equipment, including a string trimmer and a chainsaw on Friday afternoon.  He then fled north on Highway 29, the string trimmer visible in the bed of the getaway pickup truck.

Authorities were able to use a tag number partially visible of a photo of the truck to track Schriefer to Holmes County where they attempted unsuccessfully to make contact with him Saturday.

When Schreifer returned to A-1 on Monday afternoon to return the stolen items, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were waiting for him.

Pictured: A string trimmer allegedly stolen from A-1 Small Engines in Cantonment can be sticking out of the bed of this truck. Pictured below: The suspect’s truck fled north on Highway 29. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

10 Responses to “Man Arrested For Brazen Theft At Cantonment Business”

  1. Tina on May 21st, 2016 3:13 am

    This dude needs to win the “2016 Stupid of the Year” award.

  2. Rell on May 20th, 2016 8:44 pm

    Well he probably had a few jobs over the weekend needed some quick cash so that’s why he stole and then brung them back.

  3. Shay on May 18th, 2016 1:17 am

    Wow!! Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

  4. michelle on May 17th, 2016 4:16 pm

    He brought them back? Only because he was CAUGHT and not out of guilt for a bad move.
    Hope that the felony grand theft charge sticks. It doesn’t matter. If it’s not yours, you don’t take it.

  5. Pensacola pete on May 17th, 2016 11:20 am

    He was probably trying to return them for a refund!

    Then again, if he heard the law was on his tail he might have thought he could bring them back and call “DO OVER”!

  6. paul on May 17th, 2016 10:22 am

    I’ll bet he ran that stop sign too. :)

  7. dman on May 17th, 2016 8:52 am

    What a genius. These people just make one shake their head.

  8. MM on May 17th, 2016 8:22 am

    Nice truck; poor judgement.

  9. Bill on May 17th, 2016 6:57 am

    You got to ask is this fool really that stupid or is it that he is a total idiot either way lock him up

  10. Billy D on May 17th, 2016 6:37 am

    you mean the guy was going to try to give the stuff back now? I’m trying to picture that conversation now………..glad A-1 was able to recover their goods though.