INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Three teenagers were arrested after deputies said they stole guns and other valuables from a home, posed with the guns on social media and then sold the items.
The teens – one age 17 and two age 16 – had been “terrorizing” the Vero Lake Estates area for the last several months, deputies said. Deputies said the teens were linked to other crimes in the county, including a drive-by shooting in December.
“Since their arrests, we have not had one reported auto or residential burglary in the area,” Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said in a statement. “It is a safer day in Indian River County with them off the streets, behind bars. Detective Aaron Scranton and our entire investigative team has done an excellent job following leads on these suspects.”
Deputies arrested the teens on a variety of charges. Those charges include armed burglary, dealing in stolen property and five counts of grand theft of a firearm, reports show.
The investigation began after deputies responded to reports of a burglary April 2 at a home in the 7700 block of 104th Court. The residents called law enforcement after they came home and discovered five guns, an Apple computer and other items were stolen, reports show.
Detective Scranton found the teenagers posing with the stolen guns on social media, authorities said. Deputies spoke with one of the teens and learned the guns and computer were sold.
The teen also gave deputies the names of the other two juveniles involved in the burglary.
Deputies recovered the stolen guns April 18. Deputies contacted Apple Computer Corporation, which located the stolen laptop at an address in Hialeah, reports show.
Deputies arrested the teens and charged them as adults.
Two of the juveniles were being held at the Department of Juvenile Justice in Fort Pierce, reports show. The third teen was being held Thursday at the Indian River County Jail on $77,500 bond.
