Winter Haven, a slow Monday afternoon was interrupted by a botched burglary when a homeowner confronted a thief in the Eloise Woods East Lake Mariam area. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a 31-year-old man, identified as Rusty Waddle, was caught red-handed stealing an air compressor from an unlocked work vehicle around 3:00 pm. The property defender, comfortably sitting with his wife on their porch, requested Rusty to return the stolen item, and surprisingly, Rusty complied.
After the incident, the good Samaritan informed the worker of the attempted theft and promptly called the authorities. Deputies approached the residence where Rusty was said to be staying, but they were initially met with resistance. With persistence, two inhabitants of the home, 26-year-old Ashleigh Jarvis and 29-year-old Justin Smith, finally answered the door and claimed no one else was inside. However, deputies discovered Rusty hiding in a bedroom closet following a search of the premises…