Man on probation arrested for burglarizing home under construction, threatening owners with knife

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

ARCHER, Fla. – Quinnell Lavon Thompson, 43, was arrested yesterday and charged with aggravated assault, armed burglary, property damage, and petit theft after allegedly entering a home under construction, stealing and returning a trail camera, and threatening the property owners with a knife.

The owners of the Archer house, which is under construction, reported on Tuesday morning that they had placed a trail camera on a post facing the entry to the house and that they saw a man, later identified as Thompson, entering the house. They reported that when they arrived at the property, the camera was gone. They left and activated the GPS tracking tag on the camera, which set off an alert on the camera; they reported that the camera was later returned and placed just inside the garage.

The victims reported that shortly after they discovered the camera, Thompson walked up to them and started yelling at them. He allegedly threatened them and held up a small knife.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded and reported that he saw a man matching the description given by the victims and detained him. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small pocket knife in his pocket.

Post Miranda, Thompson reportedly admitted going into the house. He denied taking the camera but then reportedly admitted taking it and returning it. He denied that he threatened the victims.

Thompson has seven felony convictions and is currently on probation for battery on a 70-year-old neighbor. Judge Walter Green set bail at $40,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.