A terminated mechanic has been arrested in the theft of a car from the Key Scales Ford dealership in Leesburg.
Shade Kristopher Wery, 25, was booked last week at the Lake County jail on a warrant charging him with grand theft auto.
The warrant indicates that Wery had been fired from his job at the dealership on April 8. Two hours after being terminated, Wery got into a silver 2017 Ford Edge and left the dealership.
Wery was still wearing his Key Scales Ford uniform when he was pulled over after running a stop sign in the area of McNamee Street and East Street in Leesburg. Wery told the police officer he was taking the car, which did not have a license plate, to a body shop. The officer ran the car’s vehicle identification number and Wery’s driver’s license number and both came back with “no problems,” according to the warrant.
“Because this is a common occurrence in Leesburg, due to the multitude of automotive dealerships in Leesburg, and because the officer had no knowledge of the theft, the officer gave the defendant a verbal warning and allowed him to continue on,” the warrant said.
The car was found the next day abandoned in Groveland. It had damage to the hood and front bumper. The center console latch was broken and the right front tire had an air leak. There were no keys in the vehicle.
Days prior to the theft of the vehicle and his termination, Wery allegedly stole tools from a fellow mechanic at the dealership. Wery’s roommate, also a mechanic at the dealership, found a ticket that showed Wery had pawned the stolen tools at Value Pawn. Wery is facing charges of grand theft and dealing in stolen property in connection with that case.
Wery remained booked this weekend on $17,000 bond at the Lake County Jail.
