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Convicted felon accused of stealing skid steer nabbed in multi-county theft ring: DCSO

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Published  June 10, 2025 1:02pm EDT
DeSoto County
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office says a convicted felon has been busted in a multi-county theft ring.
    • Yam B Perera Nunez was arrested after deputies and troopers said he led them on a high-speed chase on Highway 70.
    • "This is another example of a traveling criminal off our streets! He made a mistake coming to DeSoto County… because here, we will continue until you are apprehended," DeSoto County Sheriff Jim Potter stated. "No matter what!"

ARCADIA, Fla. - A convicted felon who was arrested following a high-speed chase on Monday may be linked to several heavy equipment thefts across the state, according to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. 

The backstory:

For weeks, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Division has been investigating the theft of a $98,000 Takeuchi Skid Steer, stolen from Highway 31.

Investigators said they tracked the vehicle and trailer traveling across the county. Highlands and Hendry Counties also issued BOLOs for a black Dodge Ram hauling large equipment. This is the same one that investigators say was spotted in DeSoto County.

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On Monday, the DCSO’s investigative bureau said it saw the truck and tried to pull it over, but the driver, Yam B Perera Nunez, led deputies on a high-speed chase down Highway 70.

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Courtesy: DeSoto County Sheriff's Office

Deputies and state troopers said they were able to do a PIT maneuver on the truck, which rolled, allowing them to take Nunez into custody.

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Investigators said Nunez is a convicted felon who had an expired license. They added that the truck he was driving was stolen and is believed to be tied to multiple heavy equipment thefts across Florida.

What's next:

A search warrant was obtained to investigate further, including for tools, paperwork, stolen parts, and evidence commonly used to dismantle traffic equipment.

What they're saying:

In a post on social media, the DCSO, wrote, "We sincerely thank our surrounding law enforcement partners including the Florida Highway Patrol, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office for their ongoing efforts to bring this individual to justice."

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"This is another example of a traveling criminal off our streets! He made a mistake coming to DeSoto County… because here, we will continue until you are apprehended," DeSoto County Sheriff Jim Potter stated. "No matter what!"

The Source: This story was written with information posted by the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office. 

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