News and Investigations

On Thursday, July 14, 2022 Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 45-year-old Marshall House of Lakeland for stealing a U-Haul truck and other charges, including violating his Florida state prison probation.

At around 8:30 p.m. a PCSO deputy spotted the stolen U-Haul parked at the Circle K store (4950 U.S. 92 east) in unincorporated Auburndale. The truck was reported stolen from Valdosta, Georgia.

The deputy drove into the parking lot and saw the suspect, later determined to be House, pumping gas into the truck and that the truck's driver's side window was broken out. When House saw the patrol car drive into the parking lot, he moved away from the U-Haul and sat on cases of water that were displayed in front of the store. 

Store security video showed House driving the U-Haul into the parking lot and to the gas pump where he was first seen by the deputy.

House initially gave the deputy a false name and birthdate. When checked, the Florida Department of Motor Vehicle photo of the person whose name was provided was not House. 

House was arrested, and during a search, deputies located a syringe in House's pants pocket with contents that tested positive for methamphetamine. House was also in possession of a debit card belonging to deceased woman and a credit card belonging to Marshall House, which led to his identification. 

House was also wanted by the Florida Department of Corrections for violating his state probation. He was on probation for felony driving with license revoked, uttering a forged instrument, fraud, grand theft, and possession of methamphetamine. 

“Apparently this felon has not learned his lesson and belongs back in prison. And we will do everything we can to make sure that's exactly what happens.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

House was arrested and charged with Grand Theft Auto (F3), Habitual Driving with a Suspended License (F3), Possession of Methamphetamine (F3), False Identification to Law Enforcement (M1), Unlawful Possession of Personal Identification (M1), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1), and Violation of State Probation. This is his 18th arrest in Polk County, and his previous criminal history includes 10 felonies and 21 misdemeanors for forgery, grand theft, fraud, petit theft, domestic violence battery, resisting a firefighter, resisting a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, as well as multiple charges of driving with a suspended or revoked license, failures to appear, and violations of probation.