INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A teenager who stole jewelry from a mall store fled into a heavily wooded area after spotting law enforcement officers, leading them on a two-hour search, deputies said.
A sheriff’s helicopter helped K-9 units track the suspect, Indian River County sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Pierce said. No injuries were reported in the incident.
“It was a good team effort,” Pierce said.
Deputies responded to reports of a theft about 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Indian River Mall, 6200 20th Street. The teenager, who was unarmed, had ran outside with the merchandise.
When the juvenile saw deputies arriving, he ran into the nearby woods, Pierce said. Details on the store involved and the items stolen were not immediately available.
Deputies set up a perimeter around the outskirts of the mall and near the woods on 26th Street, north of the mall, Pierce said. Several patrol cars could be seen monitoring the vicinity.
Deputies eventually found the teenager about 3:30 p.m. and detained him, Pierce said. Charges were expected to be filed.