6 teens arrested in Hillsborough County for vehicle burglary & theft operation

Photo by Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office | Press Release

Six teenage individuals have been arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) for their involvement in a motor vehicle theft operation, facing several felony charges — 5 of which were minors.

According to the August 11 press release, HCSO's Communications Center received multiple calls from residents in the Fish Haw and Riverview areas on August 9, each reporting that their vehicles had been broken into, and possibly stolen, in their neighborhoods.

The six suspects broke into more than 10 unlocked cars in less than 6 hours, also stealing a firearm in the process. The subjects later abandoned their vehicles when they struck a curb, ultimately leading to their apprehension in Citrus Park.

With the assistance of aviation and K9 Units, they were able to locate 3 of the subjects hidden behind a home in a shed, and the other 3 near their stolen vehicles. Deputies safely arrested all six subjects despite their best efforts to elude law enforcement.

Patrol units in Citrus Park further investigated the scene, locating two stolen Kia Optimas near Sheldon Road and Gunn Highway, as well as one Cadillac ATS that was stolen from TPD's jurisdiction.
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Video footage from ring cameras of the subjects in action, aerial footage from HCSO, and body cam footage of the arrests can be seen in the short compilation from HCSO below:

The six individuals that were arrested include:

• Herman Tyson, 18
• Derrick Waldon, 17
• Zion Williams, 17
• Earl Williams, Jr., 17
• Damien Hannah, 15
• Cedrick Salter, 15

"Let these arrests be a reminder that our deputies will always catch those who believe they can outrun team HCSO," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "The action of these criminals not only endangered lives on our roads but displayed a blatant disregard for the law and the well-being of our community."

Sheriff Chronister continued to reinforce the importance of locking vehicles, stating that many of these thefts could have been prevented had residents locked their car doors.

The investigation is ongoing, with updates set to come from the Public Affairs Office. As of publication, the current charges these teens face are as follows:

Tyson faces 7 counts of Armed Burglary of Conveyance, 2 counts of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, 1 count of Loitering and prowling, and 5 counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.

Waldon faces 7 counts of Armed Burglary of Conveyance, 2 counts of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, 1 count of Loitering and Prowling, 1 count of Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure, and 1 charge of Resisting Officer Without Violence.

Zion Williams faces 7 counts of Armed Burglary of Conveyance, 2 counts of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, 1 count of Loitering and Prowling, 1 count of Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure, and 1 charge of Resisting Officer Without Violence.

Earl Williams Jr. faces 7 counts of Armed Burglary of Conveyance, 2 counts of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, 1 count of Loitering and prowling, as well as Violation of Probation.

Hannah faces 7 counts of Armed Burglary of Conveyance, 2 counts of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, 1 count of Loitering and Prowling, 1 count of Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure, and 1 charge of Resisting Officer Without Violence.

Salter faces 7 counts of Armed Burglary of Conveyance, 2 counts of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, 1 count of Loitering and Prowling, as well as 1 count of Possession of Burglary Tools.
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To read the press release in full and see mug shots of all 6 arrested, click here.
In other Florida law enforcement news, 4 Florida Men led officers on a highway chase following an attempted armed robbery. If you live in Flagler County, you can get fined up to $500 for picking these berries.
Article by Rachael Volpe