Two men followed by a deputy who responded to an alarm at a Dollar General store were arrested early Wednesday and charged with burglary, grand theft and resisting an officer without violence.

Jeovanny Montes and Armando Prada, both 45, were taken to the Marion County Jail.

When Deputy Adam Rendall arrived at the store at 9601 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala, in response to the alarm call, he saw a white vehicle parked behind the business. When he drove toward the vehicle, it quickly drove away. He pursued the vehicle, which ran several stop signs before it pulled into the Victory Mobile Home Park at 9588 NE Jacksonville Road.

In the meantime, other deputies arrived at the store and found a large hole in the north wall. Inside the store, the top of a safe had been cut in several directions. There were several empty cash drawers on the floor and an empty plastic bank envelope. The deputies reviewed surveillance video that showed two men come in carrying bags. One of them is seen trying to open the safe and then is seen removing multiple items. The men then left the store.

Back at the mobile home park, Rendall saw two men get out of the vehicle and begin to run. He gave arriving deputies a description. The two were quickly located in an overgrown pasture.

Officials said shoe prints found at the store matched the shoes Prada was wearing.

When questioned by Detective Adrian Lewis, Montes and Prada both denied breaking into the Dollar General. Montes told the detective he was just walking in the area looking for a place to sleep. Prada told the detective he was just standing around smoking crack when he saw deputies arrive.

Officials said both men are from south Florida.

Since late last year in Marion County, there have been more than a dozen Dollar General robberies or attempted robberies by armed males. Authorities did not say if they thought Montes and/or Prada were connected to any of the prior cases.

— Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.