Hillsborough County warehouse manager stole, pawned more than $40K in equipment from employer: HCSO

BRANDON, Fla. - A warehouse manager is accused of stealing more than $40,000 worth of equipment from his employer and pawning the items for cash over a period of nearly two years, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Hillsborough County pawn shop investigation

What we know:

According to HCSO, detectives were inspecting a pawn shop when they discovered a brand-new blower that had recently been pawned.

Investigators tracked the equipment back to a local roofing company and launched a deeper investigation into how the item ended up at the shop.

Detectives say their investigation identified Joshua Maier, 35, of Brandon, as the suspect.

According to HCSO, Maier worked as the roofing company's warehouse manager and had allegedly been stealing equipment from the business and pawning it for cash since 2023.

Investigators estimate the total value of the stolen property exceeded $40,000.

Stolen property recovered

Dig deeper:

During the investigation, detectives recovered several thousand dollars’ worth of stolen equipment, including generators, ladders, drills, blowers and additional worksite equipment. 

HCSO says many of the items had been pawned locally.

During Maier's arrest, detectives reported finding cocaine in his possession.

Maier now faces multiple charges, including:

• Possession of cocaine
• 3 counts of third-degree grand theft
• 43 counts of first-degree petit theft
• Third-degree grand theft while wearing a mask, $10,000 to $20,000
• 47 counts of dealing in stolen property
• 20 counts of providing false information on pawnbroker forms, under $300
• 25 counts of providing false information on pawnbroker forms, over $300

According to the sheriff's office, the charges stem from dozens of alleged theft and pawn transactions uncovered during the investigation.

Investigation remains ongoing

What we don't know:

The sheriff's office has not yet confirmed the specific name of the local roofing company or the location of the pawn shop where the initial inspection occurred. Detectives have not indicated whether additional charges could be filed.

Hillsborough CountyCrime and Public Safety