Photos courtesy: Haines City Police Department
HAINES CITY, Fla. - The Haines City Police Department arrested four immigrants lacking permanent legal status who were linked to a burglary spree in a local subdivision as part of an organized crackdown.
HCPD, in conjunction with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, captured Gabriel Acosta, Saul Contreras, Wandy Alcantara, and David Herrera in connection to the crime.
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According to police, a security guard noticed suspicious activity involving the theft of household appliances from new construction homes and notified law enforcement.
Officers tracked down and intercepted a vehicle believed to be used by the suspects. The suspects attempted to flee in the vehicle, but crashed it during the pursuit and then ran on foot.
Photo courtesy: Haines City Police Department
Authorities found a trove of stolen appliances at the crash site inside the vehicle, directly linking the suspects to the burglaries, according to police.
"I applaud the great work of the Haines City Police officers and Polk County Sheriff’s deputies in holding these thieves accountable," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "These arrests are an excellent example of our ongoing partnership with the Haines City Police Department. The criminals never had a chance against the combined resources of our men and women working the streets to protect our communities, families, and businesses."
The four individuals were charged with six counts of burglary, and they are alleged to have stolen goods from six different locations. They also face different charges including Fleeing to Elude, Stolen Motor Vehicle, Trespassing, and others.
"The arrest of these individuals sends a clear message about our relentless pursuit of justice and our zero-tolerance stance on criminal activities that threaten our community's peace and security," Haines City Police Chief Greg Goreck said.