LEE COUNTY, Fla. — It all began with a surveillance video for the Lee County Sheriff’s office. That was the first time they laid their eyes on Jerry Wayne Pack.
It was the day after Christmas, and deputies were called to a furniture store in North Fort Myers. Just before the holiday weekend, the owner and store manager locked everything up.
Everything was secured except for their large white work van. It spent the night of December 21st parked directly in front of the store. The following morning, something was wrong.
As detectives began their investigation, they turned to the surveillance video. The suspect they saw would soon be haunting LCSO for the immediate future. And soon enough, he wouldn’t be alone.
DECEMBER 21ST, 2022 – 6:58 p.m. –
It was just before 7:00 p.m., and everything looked as the store owners said. Then, however, a Budget rental box truck was seen riding north on US-41 before turning into the business.
Detectives watched as the truck parked next to the work van. A portly man wearing a jacket and shorts clomps out of the vehicle in his flip-flops. After a few minutes, the man returns to the truck with a Sawzall in his hands.
The man can then be seen crawling under the van and, in a matter of seconds, stands upright with a $2,000 catalytic converter in his possession.
In less than five minutes, the box truck stopped, the converter was stolen, and the suspect was back on the road.
FEBRUARY 3RD, 2023 – MIDNIGHT –
The crime spree was almost over before it truly began when on February 3rd, a Budget truck was stopped just after midnight for a missing side mirror. Deputies identified the driver as Alma Pack. In the passenger seat, her husband, Jerry Wayne Pack.
At the time, no cause for arrest was present, so the couple was allowed to return to the road.
Days later, detectives were able to make the connection to the theft at the furniture store. And now they had names and faces to go with the robbery reports.
FEBRUARY 7TH, 2023 – 4:20 p.m. –
It was only four days later when Pack was once again caught on camera committing a burglary.
On February 7th, 2023, the same box truck was seen arriving at the Lowe’s at 285 SW 25th Lane in Cape Coral. Jerry and Alma were clearly seen exiting the vehicle before Jerry made his way into the store.
Pack proceeded to push a $2,400 riding lawn mower into the parking lot. Alma was waiting to assist in loading the mower into the box truck.
In the span of 13 minutes, the two successfully pulled off another heist.
FEBRUARY 10TH, 2023 – 3:40 p.m. & 4:20 p.m. –
The Pack’s were becoming increasingly brazen in their attempts after pulling off back-to-back shoplifts on February 10th.
Their reign of theft started at the Home Depot at 3031 NE Pine Island Road in Cape Coral. Jerry and Alma once again arrived in their trademark Budget truck. Now, they marched to the front of the store and loaded up a cart with 54 Adirondack chairs valued at over $800.
After leaving one home renovation store, the “Florida-based Bonnie & Clyde” turned west and, less than three miles later, were at their next future victim, another Lowe’s, still on Pine Island Road.
The dyad worked in unison as a cart was again loaded with six plants, 12 additional Adirondack chairs, and 12 plastic tables. As they, one more time, were pushing their non-purchased payload back outside, the pair each secured two more plants. Their latest “shop and sprint” leave the store out at nearly $670.
FEBRUARY 13TH, 2023 – 11:03 a.m.
Another day and it’s the same target for The Packs. On February 13th, around 11:00 a.m., Jerry and Alma furthered their theft tour for a repeat performance at the Home Depot on Pine Island Road. Once again, they were playing all the hits.
Twenty-one more Adirondack chairs got snatched up, bringing their total haul to 87 colorful pieces of furniture. However, they upped their plant-stealing game by walking off with five palm trees, each valued at $129.
Another day and it’s another $1,200 in stolen merchandise.
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2023 – 11:55 a.m.
Eventually, The Packs began a pattern of behavior that LCSO detectives were able to solve. It all started when Jerry and Alma got in their Budget truck and returned to the Lowe’s on Pine Island Road—an all too familiar target.
This time detectives teamed with the store’s loss prevention team to set a trap. Jerry locked in on a red and black pressure washer in an area selling broken equipment. He then follows his normal M.O., leaves the store with the item, and throws it in the back of the truck.
As he and Alma looked to flee the scene yet again with their items in tow, LCSO was waiting and brought the burglary trail to the end of the line.
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Both Jerry Pack and Alma Pack were arrested. They face several charges, including multiple charges of grand theft and burglary.
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