A Lake Wales man, Andrew Joseph McHaffie, 37, was arrested for allegedly stealing from an acquaintance. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says a woman reported on January 6 that McHaffie took her cell phone, and she later discovered unauthorized transactions on her accounts.
The alleged theft occurred on December 29 when McHaffie allegedly borrowed the woman’s phone for an Uber ride and did not return it. After discovering $275 missing from her accounts, the victim reported the incident to law enforcement. Deputies arrested McHaffie on Monday morning along State Road 60 near Story Road in Lake Wales.
McHaffie’s arrest was complicated by his extensive criminal history, which includes 33 Polk County arrests. His recent theft charges were elevated to felonies due to four prior theft convictions. He now faces Felony Petit Theft (F3) and Criminal Use of Personal Identification (F3) charges…