POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested four teens they said stole a car and burglarized 15 others in Mulberry and unincorporated Lakeland.
On Feb. 20, deputies arrested 18-year-old Eugene Akines of Tampa along with three other 17-year-old boys. The agency explains they broke into 15 cars at three apartment complexes in the county, including Avenue Apartments and Ariva Apartments, both in Lakeland, along with the Huntington at Sundance Apartments in Mulberry.
The sheriff's office said all of the cars were unlocked, and one of the victims reported a gun had been stolen from inside.
At about 2:10 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to the Avenue Apartments on reports of multiple car burglaries. Once on scene, they learned a witness saw the four teens leaving the parking lot and driving south on Florida Avenue.
Detectives were able to find one of the victim's purses which led them to figure out that her Ford Explorer and credit cards were stolen. The car was later found at Mavis Tires and Brakes in Lakeland.
Video surveillance from the shop shows two of the teens arriving at the business in a Kia and parking before walking toward the Ariva Apartments. They eventually walked back to the car and waited until the stolen Explorer pulled up.
Deputies say they all drove away in the Kia.
Thanks to the video, detectives were able to identify the four teens and take them into custody. While searching the teens' rooms, three guns were found along with stolen credit cards and the key to the stolen Explorer.
Akines and two of the other teens admitted to detectives that they all burglarized the cars at the apartment complexes and tried to use a stolen credit card to withdraw $500 from an ATM.
“Thanks to the citizen who saw something and said something, four criminals are off the street," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "Our Juvenile Justice System must hold juveniles committing crime accountable to protect communities from becoming victimized.
"I also have another message to the community -- please help yourselves by locking your vehicles to help prevent thieves from easily accessing the things you work hard for. And don’t leave firearms or other valuables inside unsecured vehicles.”
Eugene Akines was charged with:
- Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Grand Theft of Firearm
- Obtaining Credit Cards via Fraudulent Means (three counts)
- Conspiracy to Commit Burglary
- Burglary of Vehicle (13 counts)
- Tampering with Evidence
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
- Petit Theft (six counts)
Akines was taken to the Polk County Jail where he's being held without bond.
The three other teens are facing the same charges, including:
- Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Grand Theft of Firearm
- Possession of a Firearm by a Minor
- Obtaining Credit Cards via Fraudulent Means (three counts)
- Conspiracy to Commit Burglary
- Burglary of Vehicle (13 counts)
- Tampering with Evidence
- Petit Theft (six counts)
They were all transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible, the sheriff's office reports.
