By: WCTV Eyewitness News

March 26, 2020

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) — The Tallahassee Police Department says it arrested a 53-year-old man who stole a conveyor belt from the Ross on North Monroe Street after he used a forklift to break into the store.

Police say they responded to the scene at 2415 North Monroe Street at 2:20 a.m. Thursday after an alarm sounded. The rear roll-up loading door was pried open with great force, according to the department.

Surveillance video showed forked from a forklift being pushed through the doors and then forcing it up.

The rest of the video showed the forklift removing an accordion-style manual conveyor belt before it drove off, police say.

Officers were told a forklift had been stored at a nearby construction site.

Investigators discovered a second door, which led to an area under remodeling in the Centre of Tallahassee at the same address, had been forced open. Police say while clearing the building, officers found a construction lock box which showed signs someone tried to pry it open.

While police were still on scene, they saw a forklift drive into the parking lot. They talked to the driver, who claimed to be an employee of the construction company and said he was doing work. Police spoke with supervisors from the contractors working the construction, and it was determined the suspect was not an employee and didn't have permission to be there.

Scot Herndon was arrested and taken to the Leon County Jail.

Herndon faces the following charges:

—Theft of property more than $20,000 but less than $100,000

—Grand theft

—Burglary of unoccupied structure (three counts)

—Criminal mischief/damage property more than $1,000 (three counts)