Three men, two of whom were armed with knives, reportedly broke into an apartment on Friday, May 3, while a man, woman and two children were home. One of the intruders is reported to have said something like, “I can’t do this,” almost immediately after entering the apartment and then turned and walked out. The other two suspects reportedly took the male victim’s wallet, containing $1,500 in cash.

Aaron Hill

While Okeechobee Police Department Officer Todd Burk was taking statements from the victims, they were approached by 21-year-old Aaron Hill, U.S. 98 North, who gave a statement. In his possession was $990. He was taken to the police department for a recorded interview and afterward, he was arrested by Detective James Pickering and charged with home invasion robbery. His bond was set at $30,000.

This is not Hill’s first brush with the law, as he had several juvenile charges and then at the age of 17 was charged as an adult after he pulled a knife on a man and threatened to cut him during a confrontation at a local fast food restaurant. In that case he was charged with the felony of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of alcohol by a person under the age of 21, which are both misdemeanors. On Aug. 14 he was placed on probation for a period of five years by Judge Bauer and his adjudication was withheld.

Still, he couldn’t stay out of trouble.

Hill violated that probation when, on Oct. 4, he was arrested on a felony charge of grand theft by Officer Charles Green of the Okeechobee Police Department.

Hill was initially taken to the St. Lucie Regional Detention Center in Fort Pierce, but was returned to the Okeechobee County Jail because he had been charged as an adult in the earlier case. Because of that, he was also charged as an adult in the theft case.

The identity of the other two suspects is known, but they are at large. The investigation is ongoing.

Eric Kopp contributed to this story.