A Brevard County man was arrested for attempting to steal thousands from a local laundromat’s coin machines, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies responded to a break-in at the “Laundromat of Port St. John” on West Avenue early June 17th. Jeffrey Duffey, 39, allegedly broke into coin machines in the “employees only” area using a crowbar to pry open a locked door leading to a maintenance crawl space.
Investigators believe Duffey stole from the laundromat on multiple occasions prior. After the June 17th incident, deputies apprehended Duffey near the Space Coast Flea Market. During questioning, Duffey initially claimed to be at home with his girlfriend during the burglary, and he was already on probation for a separate theft at a nearby Chevron gas station.
He claimed he wasn’t after cash from the Chevron, but had it out for the owners,” the report quotes. “He used to work there, they crossed him on some cash, so he hit ’em back.”
When deputies pressed him on the similar style between the Chevron gig and the laundromat capers, Duffey chalked it up to a “common” approach: “It wasn’t me.”
He even pointed to a recent burglary at a local “casino” at 672 West Ave. — a location close by the Chevron and laundromat — that happened back in January, where the culprit used similar methods, according to detectives.
That’s when Duffey started getting all amped up, boasting about how he could’ve done those jobs himself, deputies said.
“Duffey went on to brag that should he have committed these crimes, he would have never been caught on surveillance camera,” the affidavit reads. “He further explained how he knows how to disable most surveillance systems, and would have tampered with the businesses’ cameras, as most run off of Wi-Fi.”
Later, Duffey’s girlfriend came clean, saying she hadn’t seen him at home earlier that morning.
Deputies found evidence at Duffey’s home, including cash and incriminating surveillance footage. Duffey faces charges including grand theft, burglary, and possession of burglary tools. Bond is set at $77,500.
