The man who escaped from the Columbia County Detention Facility on Tuesday night by climbing through ductwork has been apprehended.Steve Roberts, a 42-year-old convicted burglar, was captured Thursday in Jacksonville by the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force. The team included members of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Marshals Service and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Officials took Roberts into custody at 11:30 a.m. at the Villas at the Woodlands, 2725 Crane Ave. in Jacksonville.
"This was truly a team effort," wrote CCSO Public Information Officer Murray Smith on the agency's Facebook page. "JSO and the Marshall Service did a magnificent job... They focused resources to ensure Roberts' freedom was short lived."
Smith also thanked "citizens" who helped with the investigation.
Roberts is being held in Duval County Jail due to local warrants from that jurisdiction and he will answer charges in Columbia County at a later time.
On Wednesday, deputies reported that Roberts fled the Lake City detention center sometime on Tuesday night by climbing through ductwork and forcing a vent cover off, allowing him access to the outside of the facility.
Investigators said it is highly unlikely Roberts acted alone, and deputies are interviewing the other inmates. The escape has also prompted the an order for a complete review of jail procedures and an inspection of the detention facility.
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