He couldn’t rob a pizzeria, so he robbed a school instead, police say

After allegedly failing to rob a pizzeria, a man went to a school about three minutes away and is accused of succeeding at robbing it Friday.

At about 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Robert James Medlock, 26, of Fort White, Florida, was seen on a surveillance camera trying to break into a freezer outside of Pepperoni’s Pizzeria, at 19975 NW 244th St., according to a High Springs Police arrest report.

He wasn’t able to because it was locked, the report said.

About an hour later, he was walking around the parking lot of First Christian Academy, at 24530 NW 199th Lane, when he saw an open window and used it to get inside the school, the report said.

He knocked things over and dumped trash inside the building, the report said. He stole an unspecified amount of food, digital projectors and flat-screen televisions worth several thousands of dollars.

The academy had to pay for damaged items to be replaced, restored and cleaned, the report said.

A witness recognized Medlock the next morning near Pepperoni’s Pizzeria and called police, the report said.

He confessed to police that he stole the items and hid them in a wooded area nearby, the report said.

Medlock was charged with burglary, loitering and prowling, trespassing on school grounds and attempted burglary, the report said.

Medlock remains in the Alachua County Jail Sunday in lieu of a $170,000 bond.

Medlock