2 more agencies charge former pest control man in thefts

Johnny Swanger, a fired pest control company worker, faces more charges in thefts from homes, deputies say.

A former pest control man accused by Port Orange police of stealing from his customer now stands accused by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and Daytona Beach Shores police of similar crimes.

Johnny Swanger, 44, was arrested by Port Orange police Tuesday and charged with burglary and grand theft after he was captured on surveillance video trying to pawn some property that had been stolen from a house.

Port Orange police said Swanger went to a home one day last week, giving the impression he was an exterminator who was there to spray for bugs. The resident realized the following day jewelry had been stolen from the home.

As Swanger sat in the Volusia County Branch Jail wihout bail, waiting to go before a judge for first appearance Wednesday, sheriff's deputies filed two new charges of grand theft against Swanger.

The new theft charges each carry a $10,000 bail, said sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson.

Swanger was connected to two thefts similar to the Port Orange incidents, Davidson said.

The thefts were reported to the Sheriff's Office in June and August of 2012. A 74-year-old woman, reported four rings valued at $4,100 missing from her home. Then, a 59-year-old woman had five rings and two bracelets valued at about $3,300 swiped from her residence, Davidson said.

"The common denominator in both cases was that both victims were customers of Dave's Pest Control," Davidson said. "Investigators developed Swanger as a suspect after learning that he had worked for the company for about 14 months before being fired last July."

Similarly, Swanger went to fumigate a condominium at Oceans West Boulevard in Daytona Beach Shores in July 2012. After Swanger, left the 78-year-old owner of the condo called Daytona Beach Shores police to report a gold necklace with a Virgin Mary pendant missing, a report shows.

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2 more agencies charge former pest control man in thefts