A man was arrested on Thursday afternoon after allegedly attempting to steal more than $650 worth of tools and equipment from a Home Depot store in Sebastian/Roseland, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred just before 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Home Depot on 13361 US Highway 1. Deputies arrived at 1:51 p.m. after an employee reported a shoplifting in progress. When deputies arrived, the store’s assistant protection specialist, provided a detailed account of what happened.
The Home Depot employee reported that at approximately 1:49 p.m., an unknown male—later identified as Ryan Anthony Miller—entered the store, grabbed a shopping cart, and began loading it with various items.
The affidavit lists the stolen merchandise as follows: an M18 Fuel Packout wet/dry vacuum valued at $189, an M18 Packout fan priced at $99, two DeWalt 20v Pruner tools at $119 each, a DeWalt 20v 550 psi handgun worth $129, and a medium moving box costing $2.18. The total value of the items amounted to $657.18.
According to the store employee, Miller then attempted to exit the store with the cart at 1:57 p.m., bypassing all checkout counters without making any effort to pay. Another Home Depot employee briefly stopped him, but Miller pushed past her with the cart and continued toward the exit. He made it through the first set of doors before being confronted by the store’s protection specialist at the second set. At that point, Miller abandoned the cart and fled on foot, jumping into a white Ford Expedition and speeding away from the scene.
Sheriff’s deputies quickly tracked down Miller and the vehicle at the 400 block of Layport Drive in Sebastian, where he was detained for questioning. After being read his Miranda rights, Miller reportedly confessed to authorities, admitting that he had entered Home Depot earlier that day with the specific intent to steal the items. The store employee was brought to the location and positively identified Miller as the shoplifter during a show-up identification procedure.
Based on the investigation, Miller’s confession, and the witness identification, deputies arrested him on charges of shoplifting and retail theft. He was transported to the Indian River County Jail for booking.
According to jail records, Miller was arrested last year for First Degree Petit Theft and served a jail sentence of 10 days.
