Three arrested in multi-county crime spree, including theft and damage to ArchAngel Gunsmithing

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BY JENNIFER CABRERA

Wesley Glen Addison, 21; Alan Bruce Manning, 27; and Alexandria Mariana Mihelic, 27, have all been arrested in connection with a November theft from ArchAngel in Newberry and a string of other vehicle, firearm, and ATM thefts and burglaries that spanned at least four counties.

Addison was arrested on December 15, and at the time, all details of the case were fully redacted in the court records because Manning had not yet been arrested. A number of documents are still fully redacted, and the motion requesting that the records be sealed is also fully redacted. The warrant for that arrest lists five counts of grand theft of a firearm and charges for possession of burglary tools, armed burglary, and using a vehicle in a burglary.

Additional charges in two more cases were added on December 21. The arrest report in the first case alleges that Addison and Manning stole a car from a house in a neighborhood off SW 24th Avenue on November 23 and then drove that vehicle to attempt to rob an ATM at the Renasant Bank on Newberry Road. Both suspects were wearing masks in the ATM surveillance video, but they were wearing distinctive clothes that also appeared in social media posts made by the suspects. The GPS of the stolen vehicle showed that it was driven to Addison’s home in Alachua for a brief time, then it was driven around, including a stop at the Renasant Bank. The vehicle was then abandoned near Manning’s house. Other burglaries from vehicles in the same neighborhood were reported on that date, and surveillance video from houses in the neighborhood shows two white men wearing the same distinctive clothing that is shown on the Renasant Bank video.

The arrest report in the second case alleges that on November 9, Addison and Manning opened two vehicles parked at a home in Micanopy and stole a Ruger 22 firearm, a Gucci purse, cologne, a key fob, a cooler, and about $300 in cash. They then walked behind the home and stole a four-wheeler; the total estimated value of the stolen property was about $5,570.

A sworn complaint in a fourth case, added on January 3, adds charges for possession of burglary tools and burglary of an unoccupied structure for the ATM robbery at Renasant Bank; the complaint states that the two suspects were unsuccessful in getting any money from the ATM. License plate readers in the area of the bank noted a second car, a red sedan, near the stolen car at three different locations; that car is owned by someone closely associated with Addison, and Addison was driving it on August 10 in Bradford County when he had contact with law enforcement there.

That sworn complaint also notes that on November 26, Certified Hydraulics in Branford (Suwannee County) was burglarized, and a work truck and tools were stolen. That vehicle was equipped with a GPS transponder, and the transponder recorded everywhere the truck went after it was stolen. The stolen truck was driven to the VyStar Credit Union in Lake Butler (Union County), where video showed two male subjects attempting to rob the ATM by first using pry bars and then attempting to break the machine open with a tow rope attached to the truck. The two subjects wore some of the same distinctive clothes that were caught on the Renasant Bank ATM video, and other clothes matched clothing worn in Addison’s social media posts. A tattoo seen on the VyStar video matched a tattoo in Manning’s social media posts. A red sedan similar to the second car observed in Gainesville was also seen in the VyStar video. The arrest report notes, “It is believed that a third occupant was inside of the red sedan acting as a lookout and chase vehicle operator.”

After leaving Lake Butler, the truck drove toward Gainesville and then stopped briefly near a church along SR 121, where discarded tools were reported by a citizen on November 26. The truck was then tracked to ArchAngel Gunsmithing and Outfitters in Newberry, where video surveillance showed the two subjects pulling the doors off that business with a rope tied to the stolen work truck, while armed with at least one handgun. Five AR-15-style rifles, valued over $8900, were stolen from ArchAngel. After leaving ArchAngel, the truck was driven to the area of SW 85th Avenue, where it was set on fire and completely destroyed.

On December 7, another vehicle was reported stolen from a home off NW 78th Avenue in Alachua. A license plate reader in Flagler County gave an alert, and deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office pursued the vehicle. Four occupants fled after the vehicle was stopped, and two black men were arrested. A handgun was found on the floor of the vehicle that matched a gun held by Addison in a social media photograph; a knit cap matching the one seen on the Renasant Bank video was also found in the vehicle.

Search warrants for Addison’s and Manning’s homes found clothing worn during the crimes, and post Miranda, Addison confessed to his role in the ArchAngel burglary and at least one of the vehicle thefts.

Warrants were issued for Manning’s arrest, and Mihelic’s arrest report alleges that both she and Manning knew about the warrants because Manning had spoken with the Sheriff’s office about the warrants. Manning was arrested on January 7 at Mihelic’s residence; the arrest report notes that “Mihelic was aware of this criminal investigation and pending charges, however she still chose to assist Alan Manning evade arrest by allowing him to reside with her at her apartment.” Mihelic cooperated with investigators and confessed post-Miranda to acting as the chase vehicle and look-out during the ArchAngel burglary. She also allegedly helped transport the rifles stolen from ArchAngel, which were placed in the trunk of the vehicle she was driving. She allegedly followed Addison and Manning down a dirt road in Newberry, where they moved items from the stolen work trunk to the vehicle she was driving before setting the truck on fire.

Mihelic has been charged with armed burglary, five counts of grand theft of a firearm, using a vehicle to cause damage to a structure, and unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure. She is being held on $50,000 bond.

Addison and Manning both have documented criminal histories including burglary, vehicle theft, and firearms possession for Manning and drug and property crimes for Addison. Addison was on probation at the time of the alleged crimes. Addison is being held without bond on the ArchAngel charges and on $400,000 bond in the charges related to the two vehicle thefts. Manning is being held on $155,000 bond on the various cases.

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.