COCONUT CREEK, FLA. (WSVN) - Two men have been arrested following a stunning crime at a South Florida condominium making the 83-year-old victim’s family ask questions.
Coconut Police Police said that a building manager and director of security who were employed by a Coconut Creek retirement community were arrested for allegedly stealing from one of its residents.
Wynmoor Village is a retirement community with over 9,000 residents.
O’Neil Elliott, the 43-year-old director of security, and condo building manager, Donald Fitch, 75, were both charged with burglary after allegedly entering the victim, John Agosta, unit after being transported from Wynmoor Village to the hospital after a slip and fall accident on March 15.
“The victim had a medical emergency, had to go to the hospital for a little while,” said Scotty Leamon, Coconut Creek Police Department.
Coconut Creek Police accuse the suspects of entering the apartment of an elderly resident after he was taken to the hospital under the pretense of securing a firearm.
The police report details that Fitch told Elliott “he heard a rumor that the victim had an issue involving a gun.”
Fitch and Elliott searched the victim’s car and condo unit for the gun but they weren’t able to retrieve it.
Neither man had any authorization to enter the apartment.
The resident’s son, Michael Agosta, reported that items were missing from his father’s safe including some ammunition and some coins worth an estimated $10,000.
“I’m very confused about this whole situation,” said Michael. “They took it upon himself at that during this time when he was in medical distress, being transported to the hospital to search his car and his apartment for his weapon that he reported missing in 2022.”
When Michael arrived at his father’s condo, he described what he saw.
“I looked at my dad’s apartment, it’s all disheveled. They went through everything,” said Michael.
The potential theft of those coins remains under investigation and neither man has been charged with stealing them.
Leamon said Elliott is also charged with taking ammunition from the victim.
“He is also charged with taking some ammunition,” said Leamon.
He appeared in bond court on Thursday.
“I do find probable cause for the arrest for the burglary of an unoccupied dwelling unarmed,” said the judge.
They were both ordered to have no contact with the victim, who is no longer hospitalized, nor return to the location of the crime.
Police are warning the public to make sure you always keep your valuables locked up.
“It’s important I think to lock things up you can buy a nice safe, you can bolt it to the ground, you want to make stuff harder to steal,” said Leamon.
Michael said once he came into town, the bullets showed back up. Now, he hopes his father’s $10,000 worth of silver coins also show back up.
“He had invested in Silver Eagles, Morgan dollars, He had graded coins, all in his safe,” said Michael. “He never locked his safe, he never thought he had any reason the lock is safe.”
The silver coins were Michael’s father’s form of saving and now they were ripped away from him by people who were supposed to protect him.
“I’m very upset,” said Michael. “My father was taken advantage of. I don’t know why they conducted a search for a weapon that doesn’t exist and then now his silver is missing.”
Both men were released from jail after posting their bonds.
Michael has set up a Gofundme to help raise the money in hopes of building his savings back up. If you’d like to donate, click here.
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