Bungling burglar left bag of dope at West Palm Beach City Hall
WEST PALM BEACH - A man who broke into West Palm Beach City Hall last week left more than his fingerprints behind.
He left behind his clothing and a bag of cocaine.
According to the Palm Beach police department, a city employee prepping the commission chamber for a meeting on July 22 made an odd discovery. Some men's clothing and a bag containing white powder on the floor.
The police and fire department were called and the building was evacuated as a precaution. Hazardous material techs from the fire department tested the powder and it determined it was cocaine. It was collected as evidence along with a men's t-shirt and a pair of Nike sneakers.
A review of security video revealed that a man, later identified as 34-year-old Jake Machado of Lake Worth Beach, broke into the building on July 20th, around 5 a.m. He then took off his shirt, and shoes, and rolled and crawled around the floor as he made his way towards the chambers.
Police said he roamed around the building for about half an hour, seemingly ranting about something. Machado reportedly tried to force some doors open along his trip but couldn't so he left.
Investigators identified Machado as the man on the video and got a warrant for his arrest. He was found at a drug rehabilitation center in western Palm Beach County and taken into custody.
Machado is facing one count of unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure and one count of possession of a controlled substance.
