A Florida man was arrested late Thursday evening after attempting to drive into the private club of President-elect Donald Trump, Mar-a-Lago, while driving a stolen vehicle. The 52-year-old Sarasota man was arrested trying to get to Trump and now faces charges of theft of a vehicle and driving without a valid license. He was being held this morning at the Palm Beach County Jail on a $5,250 bail, pending his first court appearance.
Arrest occurs as Security is Tightened at Mar-a-Lago
The arrest is the third such incident within months at Mar-a-Lago. Security at the estate has become stiffer following incidents previously involving unauthorized access to the property, as Trump’s club has emerged as the nerve center for the president-elect’s transition.
About 9:15 p.m. Thursday, the man drove a gray Hyundai Kona SUV into a parking lot near Mar-a-Lago and requested to speak with President Trump. Security officials, including a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s detective and a U.S. Secret Service agent, responded immediately as they waited for local police to arrive.
License Suspended, Vehicle Stolen
As officers verified the man’s driver’s license, they discovered it had been suspended indefinitely. Further investigation showed that the Hyundai was not his; it belonged to a rental company, it had been reported stolen. The woman who hired the SUV stated to the police that she met up with him earlier in the day to review an automobile she was considering for purchase. She went inside a bank and he stayed in the vehicle. When she came out, the vehicle was gone.
Later, the woman went to his house, expecting him to return her car; he did not. He instead drove to Mar-a-Lago, while the woman confirmed that she hadn’t given him permission to take the vehicle.
Growing Incidents at Mar-a-Lago
This arrest follows a number of incidents similar to this one that have occurred at Mar-a-Lago. These incidents have led to calls for higher levels of security surrounding Trump’s properties. In July, the Secret Service increased the level of protection after a failed assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania while on the campaign trail.
Earlier this year, the authorities had arrested a Chinese citizen living in California for the several attempts he was making to breach Mar-a-Lago premises in a bid to meeting Trump. In August, a South Carolina man was jailed after avoiding some of the Secret Service checks as a way to see president-elect Trump. The accused have been indicted with crimes relating to their plots to gain access to Mar-a-Lago.
Since a wave of increased alertness by law enforcement agencies towards more individuals attempting to get close to the president-elect in his transition period, Mar-a-Lago’s security mechanisms have been under constant scrutiny.
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