PLANS TO RESELL STOLEN CIGARETTES UP IN SMOKE

June 4, 2019 - On May 29, a distributing truck was delivering supplies to Hawthorne Food Store when a woman approached the delivery driver and asked if he knew of any lakes nearby. Upon ending the conversation, the delivery driver drove to his next location. Upon opening the cargo doors, he discovered 30 cartons of cigarettes were missing from the van.

The driver contacted the manager of the previous store and returned to that location. Upon review of security video, a man, later identified as Byron Seth Sterling Hall, 35, of Hawthorne, was seen opening the cargo doors and removing the cartons of cigarettes.

Color Mugshot of suspect Byron Hall

The store manager told deputies Hall entered the store and purchased drinks. Deputies were able to obtain video of Hall inside the store.

On May 31, deputies were dispatched to a convenience store in Interlachen after someone reported a man selling cartons of cigarettes in front of the store. Deputies were able to review security video from the store and confirm Byron Hall was the person selling the cigarettes and was the same person seen in the prior video from Hawthorne Food Store.

A warrant was issued for Hall's arrest for burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and grand theft. He was arrested on June 2 and held without bond for failing to appear for court in an unrelated charge.