FORT MYERS, Fla. – A Florida man was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly stealing $100,000 worth of tools from the Sutherland Nissan Auto Dealership in Fort Myers. Michael Hohner, 39, is facing charges of grand theft and burglary, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began on December 8 when deputies responded to a burglary at the dealership. Multiple toolboxes and tools, valued at $100,000, were reported missing from the dealership’s employees. Crime section detectives took over the investigation due to the large scale of the theft.
While reviewing the evidence, investigators discovered that one of the stolen toolboxes contained a pair of Apple AirPods. The AirPods emitted a signal that led detectives to a CubeSmart Storage facility in Cape Coral, where they tracked the ping to a storage unit rented by Hohner. Surveillance footage showed Hohner unloading the stolen tools from the dealership into the storage unit.
Further investigation revealed that Hohner had been fired from the dealership and had blamed the victims for his termination. Upon confirming his identity and linking him to the stolen property through surveillance video, detectives obtained probable cause for Hohner’s arrest.
Hohner was apprehended at his current place of employment, Audi of Fort Myers.
