Florida man charged in $46,000 electronics ‘smash and grab’

 A Florida man is back in Whitley County after being arrested in Florida on charges of smashing and grabbing approximately $46,000 worth of electronics from the Williamsburg Walmart.

According to Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird, 32-year-old Jovan Yohanson was taken into custody in Broward County, Fla. earlier this week on the arrest warrant. Williamsburg Police travelled to Florida to transport Yohanson back to Whitley County

Bird said about 3 a.m. on July 20, Yohanson went to the electronics section of Walmart and smashed the glass of one of the display cases. After removing a number of tablets and other devices, Yohanson was able to walk out of the store without incident.

"We couldn’t see on video what he used," Bird said. "We think it may have been a window punch."

Through a review of Walmart video surveilence, Bird said police were able to get the license plate number of the van in which Yohanson got into after leaving the store. The registration came back to a rental car company and when the company was contacted, officials identified Yohanson as the individual who rented the vehicle and gave police a copy of his driver’s license.

Police secured a warrant for Yohanson’s arrest. Bird said Broward County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on Yohanson earlier this week and took him into custody on the warrant. Yohanson waived extradition back to Kentucky.

Yohanson is alleged to have committed 20 to 25 similar thefts in Ohio and Tennessee. However, Bird said the Whitley County case was given priority because it involved the largest monetary value.

"The other cases involved $15,000 to $20,000 worth of merchandise.

While there is no simliar complaints in Kentukcy, Bird said it wasn’t from a lack of effort on Yohanson’s part.

"The same night the Williamsburg Walmart was hit, we believe he unsuccessfully tried to do the same thing at London or Corbin Walmart," Bird said.

Yohanson is being held in the Whitley County Detention Center on a $250,000 cash bond.

No court date has been set in the case.

Bird said the identity of the individual driving the van remains a mystery.

"The other person did not get out of the van or go into walmart so we have not video of that person," Bird said, adding that Yohanson has not made any statements to police about the incident.

Yohanson may face similar charges in Georgia, Illinois and Indiana.