Brooksville city employee accused of stealing metal to resell

BROOKSVILLE — A city of Brooksville employee was arrested this week and charged with stealing more than 700 pounds of metal from the city's Public Works Department.

According to Brooksville Police, an investigation revealed that Mark Angel Cavanagh, 29, of Homosassa took 22 old brass water meters from a holding area inside the Public Works compound without permission and sold them to a recycling center in Citrus County for $1,118.30.

The thefts occurred on two occasions between Jan. 2 and 7 and involved meters that had been removed as part of a citywide replacement program, according to the Police Department.

Cavanagh has worked as a utilities specialist in the Public Works Department for one year. After his arrest on Thursday, he was placed on unpaid administrative leave until further notice.

Cavanagh was charged with grand larceny. He was taken to the Hernando County Detention Center, where he was released after posting $2,000 bail.

Logan Neill can be reached at (352) 848-1435 or lneill@tampabay.com.