Three teenagers in Lee County, Florida, are facing multiple charges after an alleged late-night crime spree in a local neighborhood. They are accused, among many other things, of stealing golf carts.
According to a press release issued by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), deputies responded to different reports about three “suspicious individuals” at a golf course clubhouse. They were informed that multiple golf carts had been stolen and that these individuals had caused damage in the surrounding neighborhood.
Right after the alleged golf cart theft, the three teenagers were caught in surveillance footage fleeing the scene. They had, as per the LCSO, fled in a blue Dodge Hornet and a red Honda Civic.
Thanks to 5th Precinct Crime Section detectives and the LCSO’s Real Time Intelligence Center and investigative technology, authorities found the vehicles and the suspects. They were identified as Gabriel Melendez, Pedro Luis Lopez Rojas Jr., and Angel Josue Guadarrama.
Footage Released
Along with the LCSO statement, the sheriff’s office also shared footage of the alleged golf cart theft. Melendez, Rojas, and Guadarrama are seen, both in color and black and white, showing their infatuation with the motorized vehicles.
At first, one of the teens is seen approaching a red golf cart parked right next to other vehicles at the golf course clubhouse. The two other teens are shown approaching the cart while the first one enters it.
The footage then cuts to the three teens approaching other golf carts at a parking space specifically designated for them. This time around, they are shown driving off with it, later to be followed by a late-night illegal escapade, allegedly.
Teens Charged
As per the LCSO, all three teenagers are facing multiple felony charges. These include grand theft, burglary, and criminal mischief.
If convicted of grand theft, and depending on their age, the teens could face, at a bare minimum, 5 years in prison. Depending on the value of the golf cart and how the suspects are tried, penalties could be harsher.
The LCSO, however, detailed that the three teens were connected to other similar golf cart theft cases in Cape Coral, Florida. The Cape Coral Police Department, alongside school administrators and community members, helped find the connection. Finally, it appears that two of the three suspects have confessed, the LCSO announced.
Teen Auto Theft in Florida
About 10 days after the incident described above, three Florida minors were arrested in the city of Ruskin after allegedly stealing a vehicle. Footage released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shows the stolen vehicle being driven off-road.
Moments later, the four teenagers were spotted exiting the vehicle and fleeing on foot into a wooded area. Deputies soon arrived at the area and arrested them all.
All suspects, the youngest being a 12-year-old boy, were slapped with multiple charges. These include grand theft, burglary, trespass, and resisting an officer without violence.