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Louise Thomas
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A man who broke into a Florida city hall in an attempted burglary has been caught thanks to a bag of cocaine.
Jake Foster Machado, 34, was arrested Monday after breaking into the West Palm Beach City Hall on July 20. Two days later, a city employee found the bag of white powder inside commission chambers, prompting an evacuation of the premises while investigators tested the bag.
The city sent a hazmat truck, police, fire units, and an ambulance to the city hall before clearing the area for re-entry.
“It was interesting. That’s not something we have come across. I’ve never come across that at all,” West Palm Fire Department Battalion Chief Gregory Gordon said of the cocaine discovery.
Police later identified Machado via video surveillance. The tape showed that a suspect broke into the government building at about 5am, took off his shirt and shoes, and “thrashed around” for about 30 minutes, according to the West Palm Beach Police Department. The suspect then attempted to break open other doors before leaving the building.
Police obtained a warrant for his arrest and relocated Machado to a drug rehabilitation center. Machado is being held at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Main Detention Center, where he faces charges of unarmed burglary and possession of a controlled substance.
His bond has not been determined, and police did not say whether he stole anything from the city hall.
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