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Man arrested after trying to steal from charity store

Posted at 10:45 PM, Nov 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-30 07:44:18-05

LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- A man was arrested for trying to steal from a charity organization in North Fort Myers.

"Try and ruin people's holiday's that's a Grinch if you ever heard of one," said Roger Bolieau, who shopped at Hope Chest Tuesday afternoon.

Freddy Rimes is the man investigators say was almost the Grinch at Hope Chest. Deputies were near the store when someone walking by noticed a man going through a storage container in the back.

"It is pretty low," said Bolieau. "I can't believe what this world is coming to where people try and rob people that are helping people," he added.

Sheriff's deputies say when they arrived they say Rimes was walking towards his bike with a box of electronics.

Ted Lemieux has heard plenty of stories similar to this one after spending over forty years in law enforcement.  "I was a police officer for a long time up north and handled many calls like what happened here, and you are always on that end of it and you kind of get used to it but it is sad," said Lemieux.

Rimes wasn't sorry. According to the report, he told deputies "I didn't do anything wrong."

Shoppers at Hope Chest hope they don't hear too many holiday horror stories this year.

"I wish people would stop doing stuff like that and help people instead of trying to hurt people that are actually helping people," said Bolieau.