According to The Miami Herald, the Palm Bay Police Department arrested 35-year-old Christopher William Monnin on June 13 after a series of burglaries occurred in the city.

The city has been plagued with burglaries in which the suspect cuts the screen or otherwise enters a victim's back pool deck area and steals only pool floats.

Police added that 13 residents had reported thefts from their backyards over the past seven months.

The arrest affidavit indicated that some residents had been burglarized multiple times, "but only reported it on the second or third burglary of their floats."

Police said Monnin stole floats from a home on June 5 by cutting the pool screen to gain access and afterward, the home owner called to report the theft, saying that a Shaq pool float and a yellow duck float had been taken.

On June 13, officers responded to a report of a suspicious person and discovered Monnin riding a bike down a city street at 1:25 a.m. At that time, police found him in possession of a white garbage bag containing deflated pool floats.

When questioned by police, Monnin reportedly admitted he had taken a Shaq pool float from the home, but denied having stolen the yellow duck float. However, he said he had taken floats from other homes, Space Coast Daily said.

Monnin then took officers to a vacant home where he had been storing some of the stolen floats. The Herald reports that approximately 75 floats were found at the residence, including the Shaq and duck-shaped floats, as well as floats shaped like bacon and a watermelon.

When questioned by police about the floats, Monnin allegedly said "he sexually gratifies himself with the pool floats instead of raping women."

Monnin was charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling, criminal mischief and petit theft of property. He was taken to the Brevard County Jail and bond was set at $16,000. It is unknown is Monnin remains in jail, but he will attend an arraignment on July 16.


[Post edited by FfxStationHokie at 06/17/2019 3:31PM]