In a decisive action against an organized retail theft ring, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office (SJSO) deputies have arrested three individuals linked to a series of thefts, as stated in a social media post from the department. The suspects, identified as 41-year-old Eric Badore and 36-year-old Jamie Blake, were caught on camera trying to steal electronics from a local Walmart. They, alongside their accomplice, Jeffrey Laroche, who acted as their lookout, faced swift apprehension by law enforcement.
According to the SJSO post, the drama unfolded on December 31, when Badore and Blake were spotted attempting to pilfer pricey items by prying open locked cases. However, their plan was thwarted by deputies' arrival, causing the two to abandon their heist empty-handed. After being detained, Blake presented officers with false identification and was found to have two active warrants from out of state, leading to her arrest on charges of grand theft, providing false ID to law enforcement, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Investigations revealed the duo's involvement in a gang responsible for similar thefts both within St. Johns County and beyond. The plot thickened on January 2 when the SJSO Task Force United received a tip about Badore, still at large then, attempting to secure a bondsman for Blake. Officers located the suspect vehicle and pursued a traffic stop, which ended in a dramatic chase: both Badore and Laroche attempted to escape, damaging property in their wake, before being caught by deputies.
