BRADENTON, Fla. — Twelve cars were stolen from an auto body shop Sunday morning in Bradenton, and although police say they have recovered most of the stolen vehicles, they are still searching for a few more.
Between 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., multiple people broke into the business, stole the keys to 12 cars, and removed them from the property, the Bradenton Police Department said in a news release.
Then at around 12:20 p.m., two of the stolen cars crashed in the 700 block of 12th Avenue West, one of which was fully on fire, authorities say. The other was on its side after it hit the roof of a home.
Police say a young person was driving one of the stolen cars that crashed and was seriously hurt but is expected to recover. The juvenile is currently being treated at a hospital. The driver of the other car, however, ran away from the scene of the crash, officials say.
Authorities have not yet said what, if any, kind of charges the young person faces.
So far, the police department says it has recovered 11 of the 12 stolen cars, including the two that were involved in the crash. A black Audi Q7 and a white Jeep Wrangler were both located Monday.
Law enforcement says they are still looking for a 2023 black Toyota Camry with the Florida tag 45DEEQ.
Anyone with information regarding the stolen cars or the people involved in the thefts is asked to contact the Bradenton Police Department at 941-932-9300. Those wishing to remain anonymous and eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000, contact Crime Stoppers at 866-634-8477.