A Florida woman apparently did not stop at taking a law enforcement vehicle, as deputies say they later found her wearing gear bearing the same sheriff’s office insignia. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office says 42-year-old Shannon Marie Dillon was arrested after a stolen Broward Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle turned up abandoned along Interstate 95.
The incident unfolded at approximately 9:40 p.m. on September 22, when St. Lucie County deputies received information that a stolen Broward Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle was traveling northbound on I-95 near Gatlin Boulevard. Port St. Lucie Police officers and Florida Highway Patrol troopers also responded as authorities coordinated with the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement eventually located the patrol vehicle, but no one was behind the wheel. The sheriff’s office says it had been abandoned on the Gatlin Boulevard off-ramp.
Deputies searching the surrounding area then noticed a woman wearing an outer ballistic vest displaying Broward Sheriff’s Office insignia. They made contact with the woman, identified her as Dillon of Fort Lauderdale, and subsequently took her into custody.
Deputies Say Woman Faces Charges in 2 Florida Counties
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According to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Dillon faces local charges including grand theft of law enforcement equipment and unlawful use of a police badge or law enforcement vehicle. Authorities also listed unlawful possession of four or fewer identification items, possession or use of drug paraphernalia, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, driving with a suspended license, and resisting an officer without violence.
The sheriff’s office additionally announced two charges originating in Broward County: grand theft of law enforcement equipment from an authorized emergency vehicle and grand theft. Those charges are listed separately from the offenses filed in St. Lucie County, where authorities say Dillon was found after the stolen patrol vehicle was abandoned.
St. Lucie County jail records reviewed for this story confirm Dillon was booked at 3:11 a.m. on September 23 under inmate ID 292207. The record lists nine booking offenses in total, including two holds identified as originating with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, and does not display an expected release date.
Jail Records List Huge Total Bond
The jail record provides additional custody information not included in the sheriff’s initial account, including the bond assigned to each listed offense. Dillon’s largest is $50,000 for grand theft of law enforcement equipment from an authorized emergency vehicle, followed by $25,000 for possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted Florida felon.
The record lists $10,000 bonds for unlawful use of a police badge or law enforcement vehicle and unlawful possession of four or fewer identification items, along with $5,000 each for possession or use of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended or revoked license. Her resisting charge is marked ROR with a $0 bond, while the two Broward County holds are listed at $0 and $2,500, respectively.
Altogether, the St. Lucie County jail record shows a total bond of $107,500 and lists Dillon’s booking offenses as pending, except for the resisting charge marked ROR. The investigation itself also remains ongoing between the St. Lucie County and Broward Sheriff’s Offices, leaving the unusual sight of a stolen patrol vehicle and a suspect wearing sheriff’s office gear as only the publicly released beginning of the case.