Police say Wayne Baer robbed his grandmother.
Baer, 23, was already in jail after he reportedly stole a $20 Gator fleece blanket from Walmart on Nov. 12. But Tuesday, police added 48 charges to his record after they said he pawned about $2,100 of his 75-year-old grandmother’s property, according to a police report.
His grandmother, who wished to remain anonymous, said Baer moved in with her on Sept. 23, even after Baer’s siblings warned her.
"They all said ‘Don’t take him in, Grandma’ and I said ‘Look, he’s my baby,’" she said.
Five days after he moved in, Baer made his first sale — a 14-karat gold necklace for $70 at Midtown Jewelry and Loan, according to the report.
Every couple of days, Baer sold his grandmother’s tools, jewelry and firearms. But the activity went unnoticed until his grandmother went out of town on Oct. 17 to take care of Baer’s father, whose brain was damaged in a 2014 motorcycle accident.
While she was gone, Baer took a checkbook from her office. He wrote himself a check for $200 and tried to withdraw money from a closed bank account, according to the report.
His grandmother said she knew something was wrong when the bank called her, but she questioned why anyone would try to cash a check that said "Closed account, do not use" on the front.
"It was very clearly stated," she said. "He’s a stupid thief."
Her brother soon changed her home’s locks, but Baer smashed his grandmother’s window the same day. He broke into her locked filing cabinet and stole $500 in coins and cash, along with a Smith and Wesson Model 36 revolver from her night stand, according to the report.
He sold the revolver for $260 at Gainesville Pawn the same day.
It was his 23rd sale and his last.
Police arrested Baer on 24 charges of fraud, 23 charges for dealing in stolen property and one charge for exploitation of an elderly person. Authorities took him to the Alachua County Jail, where as of press time, he remains in lieu of a $486,000 bond.
He had made more than $2,100 in total, leaving his thumb print each time, according to the report.
His grandmother bought back almost everything for $1,481, but her dearest possession was already gone.
"He sold a necklace that was given to me by my other son before he died," she said. "When I got to the pawn shop, the 30 days was up and they sold it."
She said while she still cares for him, he is no longer welcome in her home.
"My love for him hasn’t changed," she said. "But I do hope that he gets the help that he needs now."
Contact Giuseppe Sabella at gsabella@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @Gsabella
