Teen allegedly busted with meth, burglary tools

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a 17-year-old Niceville resident. They accuse him of drug possession and burglary after an incident at a business on Destin’s Harbor Boulevard.

Officers responded to a 911 call in the area of Harbor Boulevard. The victim, who called law enforcement, said she saw a young man breaking into her business on the road via her security cameras.

Deputies found James Galloway behind the business when they arrived. They also found an opened window on the storefront.

Upon questioning, Galloway admitted to climbing into the business through the window, though he claimed not to have stolen anything. However, he did admit to leaving a crowbar inside, which he had purchased earlier that evening from Walmart. The defendant also told deputies there were several other stolen goods in his 2016 silver Ford Fusion, parked in the lot.

During a search of Galloway’s vehicle, police found several tools typically used in burglaries, including a crowbar matching the one used to break into the business, bolt cutters, a long pry bar, cut-off wheels, and a cordless angle grinder. Galloway also possessed multiple keys, a flashlight, and other items he claimed were stolen.

A free-air sniff by a K9 unit led to the discovery of a small amount of methamphetamine in the car’s center console. A vehicle search revealed a small bag containing a crystal-like substance that tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

Based on this evidence, Galloway was arrested and charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.

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