A NORTH PORT MAN WAS ARRESTED MONDAY NIGHT AFTER BEING CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF STEALING A TEE MARKER FROM A GOLF COURSE. CHARLOTTE COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY THEY RECEIVED A CALL JUST AFTER 7:30PM FROM A MAN REPORTING A SUSPICIOUS PICKUP PARKED IN FRONT OF AN EMPTY LOT BY HIS HOME. THE CALLER SAW A MAN GET OUT OF THE PICKUP AND ENTER THE FORMER KINGS ISLAND GOLF CLUB ON KINGS HIGHWAY IN PORT CHARLOTTE. A CANINE DEPUTY SPOTTED THE PICKUP AND 28 YEAR OLD SEAN CROUSE STRUGGLING WITH AND PULLING A HAND TRUCK LOADED WITH THE 18TH HOLE GRANITE TEE MARKER. CROUSE SAID HE HAD PERMISSION TO TAKE THE MARKER BUT A CHECK WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGER FOUND OUT OTHERWISE. THE MARKER HAS A VALUE OF $1800 DOLLARS. DETECTIVES FOUND A SHOVEL, HATCHET, HAMMER, AND SLEDGE HAMMER NEAR WHERE CROUSE WAS TAKING THE MARKER. HE WAS CHARGED WITH FELONY GRAND THEFT. HE WAS RELEASED FROM THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY JAIL AFTER POSTING A $2500 DOLLAR BOND, BUT HIS PICKUP WAS SEIZED FOR POSSIBLE FORFEITURE.
