- April 26, 2024
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An investigation has revealed that a 16-year-old is responsible for 30-50 area car break-ins and the theft of four firearms. The teen has been arrested.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Problem Area Crime Enforcement (PACE) Unit received anonymous information regarding recent car burglaries in the Seminole Woods neighborhood of Palm Coast.
The information included the suspect's nickname, and a photo of the suspect. It also stated that he was staying at a residence on Seven Wonders Trail with another young man, who is on felony juvenile probation and is court-ordered to wear an ankle monitoring device. That young man and his residence are familiar to the FCSO from numerous other law enforcement encounters.
FCSO’s PACE Unit went to the home in the first block of Seven Wonders Trail and made contact with the young man who is on probation, and with his mother.
Detective Sergeant Barile took a position near the rear of the residence as large amounts of narcotics were thrown in the backyard during previous encounters at this residence. While PACE Unit detectives were speaking at the front of the house with the youth who was on probation, they heard Sgt. Barile yelling loud commands to an unknown subject in the backyard.
Deputies responded to the back of the residence and observed a male, later identified as the 16-year-old suspect, attempting to flee from law enforcement.
The 16-year-old, who matched the photograph provided by the anonymous source, was detained in handcuffs and escorted to a patrol car. Before entering the patrol car, the 16-year-old notified the deputy that he had narcotics on his person. Pills were removed from his pocket and marijuana was removed from his waistband.
Detectives spoke with the 16-year-old about the recent car burglaries in the Seminole Woods area and four firearms that had been stolen.
The investigation revealed that the 16-year-old was responsible for between 30 to 50 car burglaries and stealing the four firearms. He told deputies that he had already sold one of the firearms to a man in Daytona Beach for $200 and that he had hidden the others.
The 16-year-old escorted detectives to a trail behind the residence and showed them a hidden shoebox. Within the shoebox were two of the stolen firearms, a holster, magazines and ammunition in a Ziploc bag. Near the box was a baggie with marijuana and a bicycle that the 16-year-old had also stolen.
The 16-year-old agreed to show detectives where the third firearm was hidden. He advised he had thrown it into a wooded area when he was being pursued by law enforcement.
An extensive search was conducted by the PACE Unit, a K-9 Unit and FCSO’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) but the firearm has not been located at this time. Additional efforts are being made to recover the firearm.
“This is a problem house that is a hotbed of criminal activity in this neighborhood,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “PACE was focused in this area because of the recent crimes. This juvenile just earned himself twenty felony charges. I’m not going to hold my breath but I hope the juvenile justice system holds him accountable for his crime spree. This is also a reminder to drivers to remove valuables from your vehicles, especially firearms, and lock your doors.”
The 16-year-old was placed under arrest and charged with four counts of Armed Burglary, four counts of Grand Theft, eleven counts of Burglary of a Conveyance, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Minor. Due to the narcotics located on him at the time of his arrest, he was additionally charged with Possession of Oxycodone and Possession of Marijuana.
The 16-year-old was booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Daytona Beach.
