A Kissimmee man, who allegedly stole $1.50 in quarters after breaking into unlocked vehicles on Christmas Eve searching for money to fuel his crack cocaine addiction, wrote an apology letter to the victims citing a lack of family support for his downward spiral.

Renault Jose Fernandez-Escapa, 22, of 312 Royal Palm Drive, was arrested Dec. 24 in connection with two vehicle burglaries and a third attempt in the 1900 block of Kelley Avenue in Kissimmee. He also confessed to a vehicle burglary earlier that day.

Throughout his interview with police, Fernandez-Escapa apologized for his actions and spoke about his drug addiction and lack of family. He agreed to an officers suggestion to write a letter to the victims.

In the apology letter, which was later placed into evidence, Fernandez-Escapa stated he was regretful for his actions on Christmas Eve, “a day of gathering together with your loved ones,” which he stated is what he should have been doing rather than burglarizing vehicles.

“The cause of my actions (was) driven by the urge to smoke crack cocaine, simply because my family had split and I no longer hear from them,” Fernandez-Escapa wrote. “I ask please for you to forgive me for I realize now that chaseing (sic) the urge to smoke is really not worth my freedom.”

The investigation began when officers responded to Kelley Avenue just before 5 p.m. Dec. 24 in reference to a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, officers met with the male victim who stated he heard the car alarm on his Chevrolet pickup truck go off. When he exited his apartment, he saw a black male, later identified at Fernandez-Escapa , inside his vehicle.

It was later discovered the suspect had also been inside the victim's Jeep. Both vehicles were parked in front of the victim's home and neither was locked, according to the police report.

Once Fernandez-Escapa saw the victim, he fled the area on foot. Shortly after fleeing the scene and based on a description by the victims, officers located Fernandez-Escapa approximately 100 yards from the incident. After a brief foot chase along the railroad tracks, Fernandez-Escapa was detained.

As Officer Peter Gavlick interviewed the male victim, his neighbor approached the pair, telling the officer she watched a man matching Fernandez-Escapa's description attempting to open her grandmother's Mazda. The car was parked 35 feet from the male victim's vehicles, according to the report. The grandmother's car, however, was locked.

Fernandez-Escapa was placed under arrest and taken to the Kissimmee Police Department for questioning where he confessed to walking down Kelley Street pulling on vehicle door handles looking for unlocked cars.

Using a blue Georgia-Pacific coin purse for his loot, Fernandez-Escapa told Gavlick the $1.50 in quarters in the bag, which was to be used to purchase crack cocaine, came from the center console of one of the male victim's vehicles.

Fernandez-Escapa also told officers about another vehicle he burglarized earlier in the day on Parade Avenue, approximately two blocks from Kelley Avenue. Due to a lack of evidence, officers released the suspect from that scene.

Fernandez-Escapa was charged with three counts of burglary to a structure/conveyance, two counts of petit theft and one count of criminal conspiracy. He is being held on $1,750 bond at the Osceola County Jail.

Fernandez-Escapa is scheduled to be arraigned in January on a Dec. 5 possession of drug paraphernalia charge.

His license was also suspended in November for failing to pay fees associated with several traffic violations including not obeying a traffic control device, failing to provide proof of insurance and not wearing his contacts or glasses while driving.