Jupiter police say an early morning break-in got strangely specific when a man allegedly slipped into a neighbor’s home, sliced a lime and drank her tequila while wearing a towel on his head. The homeowner, jolted awake by barking dogs, confronted the stranger in her house and later identified him as 30-year-old Geoffrey Bartimus, according to an arrest affidavit.
What police allege
According to CBS12, the victim woke around 6:30 a.m., grabbed a firearm and walked downstairs to find Bartimus heading toward the back door. He reportedly apologized, then hopped her back fence with a towel wrapped around his head.
Investigators say Ring doorbell video had already captured him outside, trying to open the front door while holding a six-pack. Once inside, he allegedly helped himself to Svedka vodka and Milagro tequila, leaving the evidence in plain sight: open bottles, a cut lime and a knife on the kitchen counter, according to the outlet.
A Jupiter police K-9 followed a scent trail to a nearby residence, where officers say they found a back door standing open.
Footage, tracking and arrest
When officers moved in, things reportedly did not go smoothly.
“When told he was under arrest, he allegedly refused to get into the patrol vehicle and had to be pulled inside by officers,” the affidavit reads, as reported by CBS12.
The station reports Bartimus denied ever entering the neighbor’s home and told police he had been sleeping after eating breakfast and drinking a few beers. Officers say he was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on charges that include unarmed burglary of an occupied dwelling, petit theft from a dwelling and resisting an officer without violence.
Charges and penalties
Florida defines burglary in Florida Statute 810.02. An unarmed burglary of an occupied dwelling is generally treated as a second-degree felony.
Petit theft is covered by Florida Statute 812.014 and can range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the value involved and any prior theft convictions. Resisting an officer without violence falls under chapter 843.
Together, those statutes outline how prosecutors can charge the case and what penalties could be on the table if there is a conviction.
What residents can do
Local authorities routinely urge residents to lock doors, secure sliding glass entries and review home camera footage whenever something seems off. The Town of Jupiter maintains a Crime Prevention Tips page with neighborhood safety guidance and resources.
For anyone tracking this case or checking on recent arrests, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office lists active bookings and public jail records on the county blotter.
