Florida man burglarizes house after homeowner lets him in for a beer, deputies say

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Photo: Marion County Sheriffs Office

MARION COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man has found himself behind bars after he allegedly burglarized a man's home after he was let inside for a beer, according to deputies. 

Bruce Hudson, 38, was arrested Thursday and charged with burglary with assault or battery, criminal mischief, aggravated assault with the intent to commit a felony and larceny grand theft after the incident that unfolded at a home in Umatilla last week, according to an arrest affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. 

Deputies responded to the home on 248th Terrace on Wednesday in reference to a possible burglary. The homeowner said an unknown man was walking in front of his house and asked him if he could have something to drink because he was thirsty, according to the affidavit. The victim invited the man into his home to grab him some water, but the man asked for a beer instead. 

When the homeowner went back into the kitchen to get the beer, Hudson allegedly went into the man's bedroom and started going through his things, the affidavit said.  

The homeowner told Hudson to stop, to which he replied with a swift fist to the nose, according to the affidavit. The homeowner briefly went outside to alert his neighbors and ask for help, and that's when Hudson allegedly grabbed a mallet-style hammer and ripped a hole into the wall. He also shattered a glass end table, the affidavit said. 

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Hudson allegedly threatened the homeowner with the hammer when he was confronted, but ultimately ran out of the back door with a bag and several other items, the affidavit said. Among the items Hudson allegedly snatched were the homeowner's immigration papers, passport, laptop, iPad, three watches and a gold ring. 

Deputies found the bag in the front yard. The rest of the items – and Hudson – were found at a neighbor and friend's house, who contacted the sheriff's office. Deputies then caught up with Hudson, who placed the blame on the homeowner for starting the fight, according to the affidavit. He also denied taking anything from his house. 

In a separate encounter with deputies, after they had found the homeowner's stolen items, Hudson changed his statement and said he was set up by his friend "Frankie," the affidavit said. 

"Even though the victim invited (Hudson) in to the residence to give him a glass of water, he did not give (Hudson) permission to other parts of the residents to include his bedroom," deputies said in the affidavit. "Once the victim confronted (Hudson) in the bedroom and told him to stop and leave, he withdrew his consent to be within in the residence."

Hudson was transported to the Marion County Jail, where he remains in custody on $40,000 bond, arrest records show.