GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – A Jacksonville man with a documented history of arrests on charges that include theft, organized fraud and dealing in stolen property is once again behind bars facing several criminal charges involving thefts of expensive merchandise.
Antonio Theron Fagan, 30, was being held Thursday in the Clay County Jail after detectives said they linked him to a series of store thefts in Fleming Island, Middleburg and Orange Park.
According to one arrest warrant, back in November of 2020, Fagan entered the Helzberg Diamonds store in Orange Park and told a store employee he needed an engagement ring. The warrant states, the employee handed Fagan a 2-carat white gold ring valued at $4,000. After the ring was in his possession, detectives said, Fagan fled the store and then got into a black Cadillac. At the time of the theft, investigators said, an unidentified person was with Fagan. Detectives said five months later they spoke with Fagan’s fiancée who identified him after she was shown security camera photos.
A second arrest warrant states that back in February of last year, Fagan entered the Lowe’s store in Middleburg where he was accused of stealing two pieces of electrical merchandise valued at $658.
A third arrest warrant states that back in February of last year, Fagan walked into the Target store in Fleming Island and stole two electric scooters on the same day. The first theft happened in the afternoon and the second theft happened later that night. According to investigators, surveillance video showed him exiting the store without paying for the scooters and then driving off in a Honda Element. The stolen scooters were valued at $500 each.
“It appears he is an expert at what he’s doing,” said News4JAX crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson. “He obviously knows the lay of the land. He knows the tendencies of the people working there, so he is precise in his movement and precise in how he takes things. Obviously, if he can walk in and walk out without being noticed or approached, he’s done his homework as to how to do it.”
Two months after the thefts at Target and Lowe’s, a detective showed up at the Duval County jail where Fagan was being held following an arrest by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on a charge of dealing in stolen property. The warrant states that while at the jail, Fagan admitted to the detective that he stole the ring from Helzberg Diamonds and pawned it for $300. The warrant also states that he admitted to pawing the stolen electrical merchandise that came from Lowe’s. Any further information was redacted from the warrant.
On Monday, Fagan was transferred from the Duval County jail to the Clay County Jail where a judge set his bond at $125,000.
Fagan is scheduled to appear in court next month.