A Leesburg man was arrested on burglary charges after a witness identified him by his cowboy hat.
Edward Timothy Cole, 60, was charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling while armed and petit theft less than $1,000 in connection with the theft early Tuesday afternoon from a home on Cypress Road in Leesburg.
A witness told a Lake County sheriff’s deputy that a man – later identified as Cole – rode a bicycle through the neighborhood and stopped at the home. The witness watched Cole walk into the open garage and take a Rural King deep cell battery valued at $75, according to the sheriff’s office arrest report.
The witness said Cole took the battery across the street and into the woods, where he covered it with a black shirt before riding off on his bike south towards County Road 473 and walking into the woods. The witness said he found the battery and returned it to the garage before letting the victim know what happened, the report said.
The witness provided a description of Cole that included a cowboy style hat, red sunglasses, and earth tone clothing. Deputies canvassed the area where Cole was last seen and found him at a campsite with a knife on his side. Cole was arrested, brought out of the woods, and positively identified by the witness, according to the report.
Cole was taken to the Lake County Jail, where bond was set at $11,000.
