Teen suspects arrested in Ocala after car burglaries

Two teenagers accused of burglarizing multiple vehicles in Hernando County were recently arrested and transported to an Ocala facility for detention.

On Thursday, June 20, a male victim called 911 to report that unknown persons had recently entered his unlocked vehicle which was parked in the driveway of a residence on Autumn Amber Drive in the Sterling Hills community of Spring Hill, according to the Hernando County Sheriff. Desk.

The victim said two suspects were caught on CCTV footage taking a backpack out of his unlocked vehicle. Among the items in the backpack was a loaded handgun.

The sheriff's office said video footage showed the two suspects committing the vehicle burglary before getting into a vehicle parked on the shoulder of the roadway, just one house away from the victim.

HCSO officers quickly arrived on scene and observed the suspects’ vehicle still parked in the same area. The suspects, later identified as ages 15 and 17 with ties to Pinellas County, were sleeping in the backseat of the vehicle, according to the sheriff's office.

Furthermore. HCSO said a handgun was observed on the floorboard inside the suspects' vehicle. Police later determined that this firearm belonged to the victim.

A search of the criminal history of the two teenage suspects revealed that they had previous arrests for grand larceny and burglary of conveyances.

According to HCSO, the teenage suspects were also caught on surveillance footage attempting to burglarize several other vehicles. During a search of the suspects' vehicle, a second loaded firearm was found, believed to have been stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Golden Lime Avenue in Spring Hill.

Both suspects were arrested and transported to the Hernando County Detention Center. After being processed at the facility, they were taken to the Ocala Department of Juvenile Justice, where they were currently being held on charges of armed burglary of a conveyance (two counts).

If you have any information regarding this case, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office asks that you contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or clicking here to submit a tip line.