Florida Car Thief Busted Twice in Six Days for Stealing High-End Rides

Photo by Broward County Sheriff's Office | Press Release

Suspected car thief Franklin Sanders has had a busy couple of days. According to a February 25, 2024 press release from the Broward County Sheriff's Office (BSO), detectives in Lauderdale Lakes arrested Sanders on Friday, February 16, 2024 for grand theft of a Mercedes Maybach.
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On Monday February 19, 2024, detectives say Sanders was released on bond from BSO's Joseph V. Conte Jail Facility. On Wednesday, February 21, BSO's Burglary Apprehension Team (BAT) worked alongside law enforcement partners in Broward and across several Florida counties to arrest Sanders for the grand theft of a 2020 BMW Sedan.

According to detectives, Sanders has been involved in previous incidents of high-end auto theft. In Friday's incident, BSO detectives received information about a possible stolen Mercedes. At the scene, detectives observed three subjects attempting to disconnect the vehicle's GPS.

The three subjects then drove to a location in Sunrise where BSO detectives and Sunrise Police worked together to safely stop the vehicle and arrest the subjects, including Sanders. The investigation revealed that the car was stolen out of Miami. In this case, BSO arrested Sanders on charges of grand theft auto, possession of burglary tools, and criminal mischief, among several other charges.

Photo by Broward County Sheriff's Office | Press Release

After his release from jail, detectives say Sanders was back behind the wheel of a stolen car within days. On Wednesday, Davie Police requested assistance from BSO's BAT regarding a BMW in their town that was reported stolen out of Winter Park. BAT detectives tracked the vehicle as it traveled through Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie counties.
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According to detectives, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s office deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, however, the driver failed to stop. The driver of the BMW fled to a location in Osceola County, where deputies took Sanders and a 16-year-old male into custody on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, unoccupied burglary of a structure and other charges.

Police say high-end auto theft is an ongoing problem in Florida. Detectives advise vehicle owners to take the following precautions to protect against car thieves or car burglars:

• Never leave your car doors unlocked.
• Never leave your car keys or fobs in your car.
• Never leave valuables in your car.
• Never leave your garage door opener in your car.