Suspected serial toilet flusher thief arrested

Ten days after toilet flushers began disappearing from businesses' restrooms in Jacksonville, Florida, a 24-year-old man was arrested on charges of grand theft and dealing in stolen property after the mechanisms were reported stolen from at least 17 sites in Jacksonville and Clay County.

James That Ton remains behind bars on $40,000 bail after his arrest, which also includes a charge of false verification of ownership. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office began investigating reports of flushing mechanism thefts from public restrooms at numerous businesses on Oct. 27, valued each at between $300 and $800.



On Tuesday, another one was reported stolen from a McDonald’s, video surveillance showing a man walking in and out of the restroom when the theft occurred, police said. A police officer identified the man from an unrelated theft arrest. Ton was arrested on Thursday at Future Metal Recycler. as he was selling scrap metal - a flushing mechanism, police said.

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating 17 cases that could involve the suspect, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office is also investigating similar thefts. Other victims of flushing mechanism thefts are asked to report the crime to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.