There were five in all. The oldest is 19-year-old Jordan Vital. The youngest is 14. Two are 15 and one is 17. All are from Jacksonville. The five were arrested early this morning and associated with 23 vehicle burglaries that had taken place overnight in Palm Coast’s B-Section, and one of them, a 15 year old, was linked to a vehicle theft late Friday night. The vehicle, a Dodge Ram, had been stolen out of St. Johns County and was recovered in Palm Coast.
Several times this year Palm Coast has been the target of seemingly organized vehicle-burglary sprees that usually target particular sections of town or particular types of businesses. Earlier this month, 52 vehicles were vandalized, their windows smashed and their interiors ransacked, at five of Palm Coast’s major hotels. In early May, four car thefts and about a dozen burglaries struck Palm Coast’s P and R Sections. In early March, a burglary spree targeted the homes of elderly residents in Sea Colony and Grand Haven. None of those sprees resulted in arrests.
Saturday morning was different.
The B-Section had been abuzz with deputies and K-9s on the ground and Flagler County Fire Flight, the emergency helicopter, above at dawn this morning after a resident alerted 911 just after 3 a.m. that she’d seen five individuals walking in and out of driveways, pulling on door handles in attempts to get in.
Deputies’ response was rapid enough that they saw two individuals running through the backyard at 14 Bayside Drive–and continue to run after given commands by the cops to stop. They took flight into the wooded area off Bayside Drive east of Belle Terre Parkway.
After a brief chase a deputy apprehended one of the individuals at 148 Brookside Drive, a 14 year old, without incident. Deputies found several miscellaneous items on him “that belonged to unknown people,” according to his arrest report, “possibly the victims of vehicle burglaries in the area.”
Deputies searching the wooded area of between Bayside Drive and Banton Lane then located an individual sweating profusely and trying to hide in shrubbery. The individual was 15, and also had unclaimed items in his pocket. The search continued, with K-9s and deputies on foot eventually locating two more individuals in the backyard at 150 Brookside Lane. They, too, had been trying to hide in shrubbery. Vital, the 19 year old, was one of them. The 17 year old was the other. In his pocket were the keys to the Dodge Ram that had been spotted earlier. Neither cooperated with police.
The Dodge Ram was spotted, in fact, after one of the overnight burglaries had been called into 911. Deputies responded to a property on Lakeside Place. They were told that the suspect at the wheel of the Dodge was a woman. (Vital, who has dreadlocks down to the jaw, could pass off for a woman from a distance at night.) One of the deputies stopped at Pine Lakes Parkway North and Belle Terre Parkway saw a white Dodge Ram, fitting the description of the suspect vehicle, speeding down Belle Terre. The deputy followed. The Dodge made a right onto Brookside Drive, but by the time the deputy made the turn the Dodge had turned off its lights and vanished, at least briefly: the deputy found the Dodge on Brownstone Lane facing west. It had been abandoned in the middle of the road.
That triggered one search that proved fruitless. It was several hours later that residents started reporting car burglaries, and that indications of a new burglary spree became clear. When one resident actually spotted the five suspects, that led to a swarm of deputies into that area of the B Section, and the successive apprehension of one suspect after another.
The fifth was not found in the B Section, but at the Kangaroo gas station in Victoria Plaza. Someone called 911 to report that an individual was sitting there. The 15-year-old boy was interviewed by a deputy and said he was not involved in the incidents, but his pockets’ contents matched the sort of miscellaneous items found in the pockets of the other suspects apprehended that morning.
He also had ammunition in his pocket that matched a firearm deputies had recovered earlier, along with three pairs of shoes, in the area of the search. According to the suspects’ arrest reports, it appeared that the suspects had shed shoes and gun while fleeing. When three of the individuals were apprehended, they had no shoes on.
Based on the 15 year old’s own statements about how he got to Palm Coast, which matched the explanations of the other four boys and man involved, he, too, was arrested and charged.
The five were charged with grand theft, loitering or prowling, and resisting arrest without violence.
“I am extremely proud of all of the citizens who were great witnesses and called the FCSO to provide valuable information. If it had not been for them, we may not have been so successful in apprehending these suspects this morning,” Sheriff Jim Manfre said in a release issued this afternoon.
Deputies are urging anyone living in these areas to check their vehicles to see if they may have been burglarized. If so, they are asked to call the sheriff’s office at (386) 313-4911. Residents are urged to immediately report suspicious activity to 911. Anyone with information concerning these crimes, or any crime in Flagler County, is asked to call the same number. Callers can also remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-(888) 277-8477 (TIPS). Callers are eligible to receive a reward of up to $1,000.
Ken Dodge says
If you see something, say something.
Edwin says
I turned over the footage that I had on my camera system to the sheriff’s department. Shows all five on camera breaking into my neighbors vehicle
patriotism is alive says
why is it the low lifes from jacksonville? juveniles or not they all need to be in jail.
Mr Nice Guy says
I hope they get prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I saw the helicopter this morning right above Belle Terre. They shame their families and their own race, especially now when there’s so much happening with the Black LIves Matter and police shootings and deaths. Make an example of them, so they’ll never dare to return to Palm Coast again.
cj says
Lock your cars!!! This isn’t sleepy Palm Coast of the past…. Criminals are commuting these days.
BlueJammer says
Kudos to our citizens who called 911 and especially to our FCSO deputies! Very brave men and women who perform a thankless job for our safety.
r&r says
As usual they prey on people instead of getting a job. Some more home schooled kids.
Born and Raised Here says
I would never park my 50 k car in the driveway in Palm Coast.
Juvenile Justice says
I remember in 05 when four local FPC students went on a Palm Coast burglary spree they did way worse then these kids from Jacksonville.
http://staugustine.com/stories/122905/new_3544189.shtml#.V54YHeTD_b0
Rick says
Ken Dodge says:
July 30, 2016 at 5:49 pm
If you see something, say something.
Absolutely Ken, we all know who is from our neighborhood and who is not. Silence only allows these crooks, thieves, low-lives scumbags to proceed to burglarize and damage our own and neighbors properties.
Edwin, awesome job. You are an excellent neighbor and those around you should feel grateful. This wasn’t a situation where they found themselves having to do something they didn’t want to do. This was totally planned including the target neighborhoods of PC.
And Mr. Nice Guy, I couldn’t agree with you more except I would leave out the “BLACK” stuff out. I’ve called the cops on only one black in 11 years living in PC but far more on whites with same or worst intentions. This is a criminal matter, not a racial one; agree?
Patroitism, unfortunately, low lives come from all over and are attracted to our beautiful city and beaches. I do concur, regardless of age, they did the crime and it’s now that time. Accountability and jail is an excellent rehabilitator; it works.
And as BlueJammers says, KUDOS, KUDOS, KUDOS to all who contributed to the capture of these burglars.
Don’t mess with this great city or you’ll pay the price.
Awesome thanks to our Sheriffs dept, our wonderful K-9’s who do more than they are credited for and our pilots who manages the bird in the sky to keep us safe.
Awesome is all I can say and can’t thank you enough.
Ken Dodge says:
July 30, 2016 at 5:49 pm
If you see something, say something.
Absolutely Ken, we all know who is from our neighborhood and who is not. Silence only allows these crooks, thieves, low-lives scumbags to proceed to burglarize and damage our own and neighbors properties.
Edwin, awesome job. You are an excellent neighbor and those around you should feel grateful. This wasn’t a situation where they found themselves having to do something they didn’t want to do. This was totally planned including the target neighborhoods of PC.
And Mr. Nice Guy, I couldn’t agree with you more except I would leave out the “BLACK” stuff out. I’ve called the cops on only one black in 11 years living in PC but far more on whites with same or worst intentions. This is a criminal matter, not a racial one; agree?
Patroitism, unfortunately, low lives come from all over and are attracted to our beautiful city and beaches. I do concur, regardless of age, they did the crime and it’s now that time. Accountability and jail is an excellent rehabilitator; it works.
And as BlueJammers says, KUDOS, KUDOS, KUDOS to all who contributed to the capture of these burglars.
Don’t mess with this great city or you’ll pay the price.
Awesome thanks to our Sheriffs dept, our wonderful K-9’s who do more than they are credited for and our pilots who manages the bird in the sky to keep us safe.
Awesome is all I can say and can’t thank you enough, gracias, danke, terima kasih, bersulang, bagus and all the love from the diverse city we all care about.
Mike says
how about changing the law to include the clause that if your a minor and you commit a felony then their parents or legal guardian is responsible and they get charged also with the crime. I bet then these parents will be a little more involved in the child’s lives if they know that their kids actions could land them in trouble.
shadowoftruth says
Really happy to see some PC people have security cameras with recording . Everyone should get these ARLO systems are cheap and wireless you can start with 1 camera or 100 , have night vision record everything to the cloud and its in HD so way easy to identify faces. Best buy or amazon has kits, sets up in 5 minutes!
Point on at the street and around your house, criminals constantly caught will eventually get the message.
Joseph Auld says
Great job FCSO!!!
Obama 2016 says
Another great job by the FCSO and the people of Palm Coast.
dave says
Cj your comment makes no sense. Home school? What do you even mean?
R&R this never was a sleepy town,we have had these same crimes since ’88
Born n Raised here, you speak as if 50k is an expensive car, it’s not
Nancy N says
Mike – It’s not really practical today for parents to be around their teenagers (or any of their kids) 24/7/365. With many parents working two jobs, or long hours at one job, to support their family in this post-recession economy, it’s just not possible to watch your kids every moment if they are old enough to not need a babysitter. I’m guessing that you’d be the first to scream about “welfare leeches” if these parents were unemployed and staying home all the time so that they could watch their kids with an eagle eye.
And even parents who are around and try to watch their kids like hawks have to let their kids out of the house SOMETIME. When they get to be old enough to drive a car – and be charged as an adult for a felony if the prosecutor chooses – it’s time to start loosening the leash and let them GROW UP and start making decisions. It’s how kids mature into adults. You can try to make sure that you’ve taught them well but bad influences can quickly undo the good you’ve done. At some point, you have to let them leave the house unsupervised. Or do you plan on following your kids around every day for their entire lives?
Layla says
I talked to a candidate running for judge who indicated that crime is on the rise in Palm Coast. It certainly seems like it. This is a bad sign for this community.
A.S.F. says
As usual, the bigots and the enablers have the most to say. Somewhere in-between, you might find some folks with some actual common sense.
The Geode says
Nancy N – Chances are these (kids?) PARENT isn’t working one job let alone two. Usually working PARENTS instill a sense of “earning” instead of “stealing” Sure kids will sometimes go off the rails and do dumb stuff, but there is a glaring difference in kids who were raised with a “moral compass” and those who were raised without a sense of direction.
Layla says
When you get into a car and travel to the next county and commit this many crimes, you didn’t just “slip off the rails”. Stop using race and bigotry as an excuse. There’s your first problem, right there.
The Geode says
Obviously some people see “racism” in EVERYTHING that they don’t agree with. I have many problems but me being racist or bigoted towards blacks isn’t one of them. I used “go off the rails” as a euphemism for “fucking up”. There. Do you feel better, now? I still contend that the environment set by the parents or in this case, “single mama” sets the tone and acts as a guide for children. That’s not black. That’s not white. That’s playing the odds.