Man accused of burglarizing armory

A man recently released from jail was sent right back less than two hours later after deputies say he gained entry into the National Guard Armory in Spring Hill through an unlocked door and helped himself to a keychain, marker and business card.

Duane Hood, 68, is charged with commercial burglary Wednesday after deputies say he admitted to entering the armory and taking the items, according to a Hernando County Sheriff's Office report.

A warrant officer at the armory told deputies he was sleeping in his quarters when he was awoken to a man matching Hood's description coming into the room and trying to turn on the lights.

The witness stated Hood then exited the room and could be seen walking down the hallway going through other rooms. The warrant officer then called deputies.

At almost 1:30 a.m., a deputy responded to an area nearby the armory after receiving a call that a suspicious man was banging on the front door of a closed business.

The man was described as a white male, approximately 50 to 60 years of age with long hair wearing a beige hat with a button down shirt and gray shorts. Deputies were also told he was carrying a plastic bag.

A responding deputy spotted a man matching that description walking in the shadows of the closed T.G. Lee Dairy building located at 16235 Aviation Loop, the report shows. He was later identified as Hood.

While questioning Hood, the deputy received a call that a man matching Hood's description had recently run away from the armory, the report shows. Hood was taken into custody and during a pat down, the deputy found a marker, National Guard keychain and business card.

Hood told the deputy he took the items from the armory after entering the building through an unlocked door.

The report shows that Hood had been released from the jail at 12:34 a.m. after having been arrested on a trespassing charge. He has also been arrested six times since late January for similar crimes.

Hood was taken to Hernando County Jail where his bond was set at $15,000.