ORLANDO, Fla. – An incident that began with a store burglary in the Tampa Bay area ended at an Orlando apartment complex after more than an hourlong, multi county pursuit but the accused burglars are still at large, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Hernando County sheriff deputies responded to burglary call at a Target store and arrived at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday but the robbers had already left the scene.
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A witness described getaway vehicle as a stolen BMW SUV, according to the sheriff’s office.
Hernando County authorities notified the Florida Highway Patrol at 2:45 a.m. about the stolen vehicle used in the burglary, FHP said.
A state trooper spotted the vehicle on State Road 50 and attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver did not stop and the trooper followed the BMW onto north I-75 and then onto the Florida Turnpike, according to FHP.
The driver of the BMW got on State Road 408 in Orlando before pulling into the Windsor Cove Apartment complex on Mercy Drive, FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins said.
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Several passengers and the driver fled on foot, Gaskins said. FHP and Orlando police were unable to make any arrests.
Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said “quite a bit of merchandise” was stolen from the store, most of which was recovered from the vehicle.
Nienhuis said the burglary was similar to others in the Tampa Bay and Central Florida areas and the sheriff’s office believes they are related.
“These are true criminals,” Nienhuis said.
The Sheriff’s Office will review surveillance video from Target. Authorities did not release a description on the individuals iaccused in the burglary.
Anyone with information is asked to call Central Florida Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS or Tampa Bay Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.
Target Store Burglary Press ConferenceOn 01-04-17 at 2:32 a.m., the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a call regarding a Commercial Burglary at the Target store located at 4401 Commercial Way in Spring Hill. Deputies were dispatched to the scene at 2:33 a.m. Information received from witnesses indicated that four males were inside the store taking items and placing them into a suspect vehicle that was parked directly in front of the store. The first unit arrived on scene at 2:36 a.m. The suspect vehicle and all suspects had already fled the scene. Dispatchers quickly provided all units with the information on the suspect vehicle, a BMW sport utility vehicle, so the units could BOLO (be on the lookout) for said vehicle. The suspect vehicle was spotted by Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies and by Brooksville police officers. The driver refused to stop when traffic stops were attempted. The vehicle fled eastbound, out of Hernando County. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) spotted the vehicle speeding along Cortez Boulevard (Highway 50) in eastern Hernando County. The Trooper attempted a traffic stop; the driver failed to stop and a pursuit began. As per a statement released by Sergeant Steve Gaskins with the FHP, the suspect vehicle was then pursued north on I-75, to the Florida Turnpike, then south to SR-408 in Orlando before exiting into an apartment complex. Once in the apartment complex (Windsor Cove Apartments – located off Mercy Drive in Orlando) several occupants exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Despite efforts by the FHP and the Orlando Police Department, no suspects were apprehended. No law enforcement officers or known citizens were injured during this incident. Video surveillance from Target will be made available as soon as possible.
Posted by Hernando County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, January 4, 2017