AVON PARK, FL. – Two Florida teens have been arrested after two nights of burglarizing vehicles and even stealing a handgun.
Investigators say that a homeowner made a quick call to dispatch after seeing someone attempt to get into his car at 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday, which resulted in the arrest of two 15-year-olds and stopped a two-night spree of car burglaries in the Avon Park Lakes area.
Deputies say Ashtyn Marshall Rosenthal, 15, and Isaias Avelino, 15, have been charged with burglary, grand theft, of a firearm, and conspiracy to commit a felony in connection with one of the burglaries.
The pair will be facing more charges, however, as there were car burglaries at a total of 19 locations on N.Berkley Rd., Torrington Rd., N. Franklin Rd., N. Larramore Rd., N. Saginaw Rd., and W. Perry Rd.
Deputies say that all of the burglarized cars were unlocked, and the items that were taken ranged from spare change and a deodorant stick all the way up to iPads, a drone and even a handgun with seven magazines and 90 rounds of ammunition.
“They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that is definitely the case here,” Sheriff Paul Blackman said. “A little bit of prevention – just making sure that your car is locked and all valuables are secured – would have prevented all of these crimes. This is the exact reason we remind people to lock up every night via our 9 p.m. routine posts on social media.“
“The homeowner whose Ring doorbell camera captured one of the attempted crimes played a big role in catching these suspects,” the Sheriff said. “Their call allowed deputies to flood the area and get a K-9 track going, and we were able to find both of them. When the public and our deputies work together, we can accomplish a lot more.”
Anyone who lives in the area of these burglaries who has a security camera is encouraged to check if they have any footage that may help the investigation.
If you do, please call Det. Steve Worley at 863-402-7250 or email detectives@highlandssheriff.org.
Note: State law allows for the release of juvenile information if said juvenile is charged with a crime that would be a felony if they were an adult.
Visit Tampafp.com for Politics, Tampa Area Local News, Sports, and National Headlines. Support journalism by clicking here to our GoFundMe or sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.
Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here.