ZEPHYRHILLS — Officers have arrested a forklift operator at the Nestle Bottled Water Co. on charges of stealing $50,000 worth of bottled water from the company's warehouse in Zephyrhills.
According to the arrest report, Michael Gordon Fernandes, 26, of Zephyrhills and an unidentified person stole five truckloads of bottled water from the warehouse at 4330 20th St. over a period of six weeks.
Fernandes told officers he loaded pallets of bottled water intended to stay in the warehouse onto the person's semitrailer truck. The thief would then take the pallets to an unknown location, the report said. Fernandes later told Zephyrhills police that he was paid $500 per truckload, doing it only so he could financially support his family.
Fernandes was arrested Saturday at the warehouse and booked into the Pasco County jail in Land O'Lakes. He was charged with grand theft of more than $20,000.
Fernandes was released from jail later Saturday after posting $10,000 bail.
News
