Man out on bond accused of breaking into elderly woman's home as she slept

$60,000 in savings bonds, silver baby items stolen from home

Dillon Maurelis

DeLEON SPRINGS, Fla. – A man out on bond on a burglary charge is accused of breaking into an 87-year-old woman's home as she slept and stealing thousands of dollars worth of items, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said the victim woke up at 12:40 a.m. Monday to find a man standing over her who quickly ran out of her bedroom and fled the home DeLeon Springs home. The elderly victim called her daughter, who called law enforcement.

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During the investigation, deputies found that the man had broke in through the front door and stolen about $60,000 worth of savings bonds, approximately 25 antique silver coins, $400 worth of silver baby items such as rattles and spoons, Princess Diana memorabilia, multiple legal documents including Social Security cards and prescribed narcotics, the report said.

Surveillance video from a nearby home showed a man that matched the description of the burglary suspect attempting to break into a vehicle, according to the affidavit.

VCSO Detective Ben Gordon saw the video and recognized the man as 27-year-old Dillon Maurelis, who was out on bond on a burglary charge, authorities said.

Deputies said Maurelis was found at a DeLeon Springs gas station, still wearing the same Air Force One shoes he had on in the surveillance video. He also had cuts on his legs and blood on his T-shirt, which would be consistent with running through the woods near the victim's home, according to a news release.

Deputies also said they searched the shed, where Maurelis lives and found more than $70,000 worth of items that had been reported stolen during multiple burglaries in the DeLeon Springs area. Maurelis also had a substantial amount of cash, even though his landlord said he does not work, according to the report.

Maurelis was charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling, grand theft over $20,000, dealing in stolen property and burglary of a conveyance. He's being held without bond at the Volusia County Jail.


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