Jeffrey Dodd, left, and Capt. Ronald Curtis,

Thanks to the help of a Lehigh resident, a suspect was arrested and charged with theft of the theft of coils from an air conditioning unit.

Jeffrey Dodd was honored by the Sheriff’s Department last week. He was called and asked to come to the Bravo Station to receive a certificate of appreciation for his help.

Capt. Ronald Curtis presented the award and explained Dodd’s involvement in helping to stop crime in the area in which he lives.

Detective Josh Quaintance said Lehigh Acres has had some 371 air conditioner thefts in the past three months.

“It is a serious problem in Lehigh,” he said.

Detective Josh Quaintance, right, with Jeffrey Dodd.

Dodd’s part in helping law enforcement came in June when Deputy R. Margrander was sent to 39th St. SW in Lehigh in reference to what was called “an in-progress residential burglary.”

Upon arrival, Deputy Margrander was met by the complainant and witness Jeffrey Dodd.

He told the deputy that at around 12:50 a.m. on June 29, his dog started growling inside his home an Dodd said he went outside with his dog and saw a suspicious vehicle in the driveway of a vacant home on 39th St. SW.

Dodd said he could hear banging coming from inside the house, so he walked to the home in an attempt to get the license plate number off of the vehicle.

While getting the license plate number from the vehicle, Dodd said he heard the door to the house open and he saw a shadow and asked “who’s up there?’ and an unknown suspect went back into the residence.

Doo in the meantime ran back to his home and called 911 and gave the dispatcher the Florida license plate number and a description of the vehicle as a silver in color four-door sedan.

Dodd said he continued to watch the vehicle from inside his house and saw it speed off without its headlights on traveling westbound down 40th St. SW.

While Deputy Margrander was speaking with Dodd, Deputy B. Walkowiak was in the area of 40th St. SW and SR82 when he saw the vehicle traveling west on SR82.

Walkowiak confirmed the license plate number and stopped the vehicle at SR82 and Gregory Ave.

Walkowiak made contact with the d river and a passenger.

Deputy Margrander responded to 2601 39th St. SW with Jeffrey Dodd, the man who reported the crime, to confirm that there was nothing new missing from the residence.

Upon arrival at the house, Margrander saw copper coil from the air handler lying on their driveway and the line set copper pipe that runs from the outside air conditioner unit to the inside air handler was pulled from the wall.

Dodd gave the deputy a sworn digital taped statement as to what he had seen happen.

He also was taken to the area of the investigative stop and Dodd said he was positive the silver Chevy Impala was the vehicle which he observed backed into the driveway of the 2601 39th St. St. SW address.

Deputy Josh Quaintance said that it was due to Jeffrey Dodd’s quick actions and willingness to help and suggested he be recognized with a letter of commendation.