Three Orlando teens arrested in attempted burglary at pawn shop

SPRING HILL (FOX 13) - Three young suspects, ages 16, 15 and 12, were arrested Monday morning following an attempted burglar at the Gold-N-Pawnd Shop on Mariner Boulevard.

A burglary alarm sounding around 4:15 a.m. is what led deputies to the store. Deputies spotted a suspicious vehicle fleeing the area at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle later crashed near the Suncoast Parkway and Spring Hill Drive.

Three of the four young suspects were arrested while trying to run from deputies.

A "Code Red" was issued in the Pristine Place area as authorities searched for the suspects.
According to authorities, the suspects are likely from the Orlando area. Their vehicle had stolen tags from Orlando.

"We've been having those issues here, and other jurisdictions, where young people from metropolitan areas, either Orlando, Tampa or St Pete, come into the more rural counties and think they can get away with breaking into local businesses," said Hernando County Sheriff Al Neinhuis.

In many of the recent smash-and-grab and home burglaries, the teenaged suspects are looking for vehicles or guns, to commit other crimes.  Electronics are also a targeted item.

In January, several teen suspects broke into a Target retail store in Spring Hill.  Authorities followed them to an apartment complex in Orlando, where they later fled on foot. A big screen television was found inside the abandoned vehicle.

Metal bars on the other side of the glass doors at Gold-N-Pawnd prevented the suspects from getting away with any merchandise on Monday.

Sheriff Neinhuis said he has requested 10 additional patrol deputies in his 2018 fiscal year budget, which starts in October, with a goal of combating similar burglaries.

"Obviously, the quicker we can get to the scene of the crime, and the more deputies in the area, the more likely we are to see those individuals and be able to apprehend them before they get back to Orlando, Tampa or St. Pete," said Neinhuis.

Deputies are still searching for a fourth suspect involved in Monday's burglary attempt.