LAKELAND, Fla. – A Lakeland woman’s stolen package led to the arrest of 36-year-old Carlos Silva on Tuesday, after Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies used fingerprint evidence and doorbell footage to track down a suspect posing as a delivery driver.
Silva, a Venezuelan national with a pending immigration application, now faces enhanced felony charges and the revocation of his legal status in the United States.
The investigation kicked off on January 26 when a resident reported a theft caught on her Ring camera. The footage showed a man in a hoodie and a baseball cap approaching the porch while carrying an empty DoorDash thermal bag. In an apparent attempt to dodge identification, the man turned his back to the camera before walking off with a package valued at $70.
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The case took a turn the following day when the victim found the empty shipping box discarded near her trash bins. Crime scene investigators pulled fingerprints from the cardboard, which returned a match for Silva. Detectives further bolstered the case by using investigative resources to place Silva’s dark-colored SUV in the neighborhood during the time of the theft.
A conversation with Silva’s brother later confirmed that the suspect did, in fact, work as a driver for DoorDash.
Authorities caught up with Silva on February 10 at the Lake Miriam Plaza in Lakeland. Following his arrest, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office alerted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Because of the criminal nature of the incident, federal authorities revoked Silva’s immigration status and issued a detainer, meaning he could face deportation following the resolution of his local court case.
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Silva has been booked on charges of unarmed burglary and grand theft from a dwelling. Under Florida law, these charges were enhanced by one degree due to his status at the time of the offense.
“This suspect was on track to remain in the country legally while his application was being processed, but he chose to commit a crime, and that decision cost him his status,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “When you break the law in Polk County, there are serious consequences.“
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