Polk deputies arrest 2 teens accused of stealing 3 cars, burglarizing 13 other vehicles
DAVENPORT, Fla. - A 16-year-old and a 17-year-old are facing several felony charges after deputies say they stole several cars and burglarized multiple vehicles in the Loma Del Sol subdivision in unincorporated Davenport.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle around 5 a.m. Thursday morning saw two vehicles, a Mercedes Benz and a BMW, speeding from the neighborhood.
The deputy tried to stop the vehicles, which were being driven by the teens, who are not being named due to their age, but they fled.
Deputies say the 16-year-old driving the Mercedes, which was stolen, damaged the vehicle when he ran over the concrete curb as he exited the subdivision. The teen got out of the car and called for a Lyft, but deputies arrested him before the rideshare driver picked him up, according to PCSO.
The 17-year-old driving the BMW, which was also stolen, crashed near the intersection of Ronald Regan Parkway and Champions Gate Boulevard and fled. However, detectives were able to find and contact the teen’s mother, who helped locate her son. She then picked him up and took him to an area hospital following the crash and contacted detectives. The teen was not injured in the crash and deputies took him into custody at the hospital.
Detectives say the teens drove to Loma Del Sol in a white van that was reported stolen from Orange County to break into as many vehicles as possible to steal money. When deputies searched the stolen white van, they found multiple credit cards and identifications related to other burglaries that took place in Orange County. PCSO detectives are working with other law enforcement agencies to follow up on the found IDs and credit cards.
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"This is yet again another example of juveniles who are committing crimes and need to be held accountable for their actions. Our Juvenile Justice System must stand up for victims by getting a handle on juveniles committing crime in central Florida. We cannot allow out-of-control juveniles to continue to erode our quality of life," stated Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
The 16-year-old has a criminal history that includes two felonies for burglary and grand theft. He was sentenced to six months of community service, which ended in March.
Both teens are now facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges including, but not limited to grand theft, attempted burglary of an unoccupied vehicle, fleeing to elude, resisting an officer without violence and driving without a valid driver’s license.
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