VERO BEACH — A 49-year-old man accused of stealing a cash register worth $200 from a grocery store told officers he suffers from occasional blackouts and did not remember the incident, police said.
Robert Edward Best was charged with grand theft and burglary. He is being held at the Indian River County Jail on $7,500 bond; his address was not available.
Police at 9 a.m. Dec. 16 went to a Chevron gas station in the 1600 block of U.S. 1 in response to a suspicious person. Police spoke to a man, later identified as Best, who matched the description of a suspect in a burglary that occurred earlier that day at Tienda Mexicana Tres Hermanos, located on 14th Avenue.
Best was seen on video using a cement pottery plant brick to break the north side glass door to enter the grocery store, police said. Best then unplugged a cash register, located in the front, and stole it, along with the $120 that was inside.
Police were able to identify Best from previous law enforcement encounters and arrested him. Police told Best why he was being arrested, and he said he “suffers from occasional blackouts and did not remember entering the business.”
Police showed Best a still photo from the surveillance video, and he said, “Yes, that’s me,” officers said. Officers found a white bag with a heavy amount of loose change in Best’s tool bag.
They also went to Best’s home and found the clothing he wore during the burglary and the stolen cash register. Police took Best to the police department, where he admitted to breaking in to Tres Hermanos and taking the cash register and its contents.
Best was arrested and taken to the county jail for booking.