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Deputies: Volusia County man steals $62,000 worth of sprinklers, destroys ferns

Sprinklers stolen by Volusia County man, deputies say.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A 21-year-old man is accused of stealing hundreds of brass sprinkler heads, totaling $62,000, deputies said.

Anthony Markgraf, of Paisley, stole the sprinklers Jan. 31 from a fernery off Rich Fern Road and West Plymouth Avenue near DeLand, deputies said.

The loss of the sprinklers resulted in water loss to the ferns and caused $30,000 in damage, deputies said.

A man who works at a scrap yard told deputies that Markgraf tried selling two buckets full of sprinkler heads in January, but was turned down because he didn’t have proof of ownership, deputies said. However, Markgraf was caught at another scrap yard selling several 5-gallon buckets of sprinklers on two occasions, deputies said.

Markgraf and his girlfriend were arrested Wednesday on separate charges of grand theft involving stolen wire and polymers from a Duke Energy substation in DeLand, deputies said.

Markgraf faces charges of grand theft, dealing in stolen property and violations of the second-hand metal recycler act, along with charges of burglary and criminal mischief.

SUSPECT ARRESTED IN THEFT OF $60,000+ IN FERNERY SPRINKLERS *Thefts also resulted in loss of $30,000 in ferns just...

Posted by Volusia Sheriff's Office on Thursday, February 8, 2018