Winter Haven woman 'looking for cigarettes' accused of trying to open neighbor's car doors: WHPD
Courtesy: Winter Haven Police Department
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - A Winter Haven woman told police she was looking for cigarettes when they asked why she was pulling on the door handles of two vehicles belonging to her neighbor.
Natalie Adjo, 32, was arrested Sunday and booked into the Polk County Jail, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.
Winter Haven vehicle break-in attempt
The backstory:
Police say officers responded around 11:22 a.m. on Sunday to a home on Giorgio Drive after a woman reported seeing someone in her yard.
About 30 minutes before calling police, the woman received a notification from her Ring security camera alerting her to activity in the yard, WHPD said.
According to police, the camera footage showed Adjo walking toward the front of the home and into the driveway, where two vehicles were parked.
The woman told officers Adjo pulled the door handle of one vehicle but found it locked. Adjo then tried the door of a second vehicle, which was also locked, police said.
Adjo then walked away from the residence, police said.
Ring camera footage of the suspect
Dig deeper:
Officers investigating the area located Adjo, who matched the description in the Ring camera footage, according to police.
Adjo was wearing the same clothing seen in the video. After officers showed her the image, police said Adjo confirmed she was the person seen on camera.
When asked why she was trying to enter the vehicles, Adjo told officers she wasn't trying to get into the vehicles and was only looking for cigarettes, according to police.
Adjo lives on the same street as the victim, WHPD said.
Adjo faces two counts of attempted burglary of an unoccupied vehicle, both felony charges.
Police chief on crime prevention
What they're saying:
"This is another case where ensuring that car doors were locked, kept this victim from possibly losing their property," Winter Haven Police Chief Vance Monroe said. "I applaud the victim for taking this step to prevent crime, and encourage all of our citizens to do the same."
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Winter Haven Police Department.