Florida has earned a national reputation over the years for people performing irrational acts and committing strange crimes.
But one state trooper recently took the maniacal acts in Florida to a whole new level.
And police were shocked by what a security camera caught one Florida Highway Patrol trooper doing after hours at Hooters.
At 1:26 a.m. on March 28, police in Daytona Beach, Florida, responded to a burglary alarm call at a local Hooters restaurant.
Once police arrived on the scene, officers immediately saw the glass window of the Hooters restaurant had been shattered.
Officers happened to see a Dodge pickup truck parked behind the closed restaurant.
The vehicle belonged to Florida Highway Patrol trooper David Ryan Baker, who was loading items into his truck when the police called out to him.
When the officers approached Baker and asked him what he was doing outside of a closed business after 1 a.m., he told them he was coming from a friend’s house and needed a place to relieve himself.
But he failed to provide information on the friend, which made the police even more suspicious.
After Baker then claimed he was only looking for a place to grab a bite of food, the police asked him why he went to a closed restaurant when there were two open convenience stores within 500 feet.
Baker said he was not familiar with the area and did not know about the stores.
But one officer noticed shards of glass on Baker’s shoe while talking with him.
When the restaurant manager arrived and showed the surveillance video to the police, they were shocked by what they saw.
“In the video, Baker was seen walking around the parking lot,” the Daytona Beach News Journal reported. “Then at 1 a.m., a cinder block is seen smashing through the window. Ten minutes later, Baker entered the restaurant.”
Baker, armed with a bucket and a flashlight, went behind the bar and stole four of the restaurant’s beer taps.
Overall, Baker caused $20,000 in damages to the Hooters.
Police found the taps in his Dodge pickup and arrested the Highway Patrol trooper on felony burglary.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Baker was terminated on the same day that he was arrested for burglary.
“The allegations against Mr. David Baker does not reflect the core values of the Florida Highway Patrol,” a statement read. “FHP is an institution dedicated to serving and protecting the public, and integrity is the foundation of our professionalism and credibility,” the statement continued. “Due to the serious nature of the recent allegations, the Executive Director issued an extraordinary dismissal, thereby terminating his employment immediately.”
Police in Florida never know what to expect when they arrive at the scene of a crime.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
