Alleged coquina rocks thief arrested after attempting to sell items on Facebook, deputies say

Man accused of stealing coquina rocks to sell on Facebook

Thomas Dupree, 37, is accused of stealing coquina rocks – a soft, porous sedimentary rock used for landscaping – from a Palm Coast construction site, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said.

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A Palatka man is accused of stealing coquina rocks from a construction site and attempting to sell them online. 

A Palatka man is accused of stealing supplies from a construction site and attempting to sell them for profit.

The backstory:

Thomas Dupree, 37, is accused of stealing coquina rocks – a soft, porous sedimentary rock used for landscaping – from a Palm Coast construction site, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said. Dupree listed the rocks for sale on Facebook Marketplace, the sheriff's office said. 

On Oct. 22, Flagler County deputies met with a person they identified as a victim of Dupree's alleged scheme, who said a person stole coquina rocks from his construction site on Oct. 20 and used images from the construction site in the listing. 

Detectives identified Dupree as a suspect, saying he traveled to a construction site multiple times and listed the rocks for sale on Facebook for months, the sheriff's office said. 

The sheriff's office included images and links to Dupree's alleged online listings. 

Dupree's trailer was seen on traffic cameras leaving the construction site, a Flagler County detective said in the charging affidavit. 

Dupree was arrested for grand theft, dealing in stolen property, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he was released on a $7,500 bond.

Dupree's arrest history also includes theft and drug-related charges, the sheriff's office said.