If it weren’t for a vigilant Waste Management employee who called police, two UCF alumni may have gotten away with a $300 Wii gaming system, a $35 decorative pot, a $20 flower vase and a $50 trophy.
That’s according to a UCF police report obtained by KnightNews.com, which accuses Michael Minot, 27, and Brandon Geers, 25, of burglarizing the Kappa Alpha Theta house around 5:15 a.m. Thursday — while sorority sisters were sleeping inside.
Like Us For UCF News Updates on Facebook: The house was likely familiar territory for the two, as sources confirm to KnightNews.com that both men were brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity when they were students at UCF. Kappa Alpha Theta moved into the house after SigEp was kicked off campus in 2007 following a hazing scandal.
So what were they doing inside their old house?
According to what Minot and Geers told police, they simply were trying to play a prank on a few of the sorority sisters they met earlier in the night. Police seemed skeptical, however, pointing out, “Neither of them knew the women and could not provide the women’s names.”
UPDATE: CLICK TO READ ENTIRE POLICE REPORT DETAILING THE ARRESTS
While it’s not clear exactly why the two were there, what is clear is how they got caught.
According to the report, the Waste Management employee in Greek Park saw a dark pick-up truck park along the bushes of the UCF Sigma Chi house, and watched Geers and Minot run from the truck and into the Kappa Alpha Theta house. That’s when he called police.
UCF police officers say they got there within minutes, and when they walked around the building the door opened and out came Geers — holding the trophy and “wearing latex ‘surgical’ style gloves on each hand.”
Police confronted Geers, and that’s when they say Minot, who was right behind him, immediately went back inside the house and shut the door behind him. UCF police called for him to come back outside, and they say he did just that about 15 seconds later.
Once the two realized they were going to be arrested and Minot’s truck would be towed, Minot let the officers know he had a Glock 27 gun in his truck’s glove box, according to the report. The weapon had five rounds of ammunition in the magazine, but none chambered.
Both were charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling and grand theft. Minot faced an additional charge of possessing a firearm on school property. All are felony charges.
Neither responded to KnightNews.com’s text messages seeking comment. Both have bonded out of the Orange County jail.
KnightNews.com will continue to follow this story. Check back for updates, including a copy of the police report we’re working to upload now.
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