A 10-day spree of car burglaries in the Jan Phyl Village area of Winter Haven was brought to a halt with the arrest of three teenagers, as reported by the Polk County Sheriff's Office. According to a press release dated September 30, 2025, the suspects were apprehended following a string of incidents involving unlocked vehicles and stolen items including cash and a firearm.
Initial reports of the burglaries began on September 18 with a theft on Timberline Road West. Armed with video footage that captured a suspect targeted homes flipping handles, one wearing all black with white slides and white gloves, deputies posted the surveillance to social media for assistance in identification. The spree continued through September 28, when a 9mm Ruger P95 handgun was taken from another unlocked car, and the young suspects, identified by detectives through more footage, striking vehicles on Harmon Lane where the victims' sense of safety along with a $400 remote control were stolen.
On the evening of September 29, law enforcement received a tip about the likely whereabouts of the culprits at Saint Paul Drive, using a white Nissan Altima as their transport. There, deputies found a backpack containing the stolen handgun and proceeded to the homes of Deandre Parker, 17, and Christopher Lester, 16. After being presented with evidence of their involvement, they admitted to their roles in the crimes. Parker acknowledged the ownership of the bag and his awareness of the gun inside, while Lester confirmed his presence in the surveillance videos, pointing out 14-year-old Caiden Cooper as the third accomplice.
Cooper, who had just turned 14, declined to converse with the deputies arriving at his residence, though they discovered evidence including the aforementioned Nike backpack and white slides. Nevertheless, all parents of the involved teenagers were fully cooperative with the ongoing investigation. Sheriff Grady Judd stressed the pitfalls of leaving firearms in vehicles, expressing relief in recovering the stolen gun, and emphasizing the need for vigilance against "crimes of opportunity." "Teens out at night flipping car handles only means one thing - crimes of opportunity. Please stop leaving your firearms in your vehicles, and please lock your car doors. We're thrilled we got this stolen gun off the streets, and we appreciate everyone's cooperation during this investigation," Sheriff Judd said as per the Polk County Sheriff's Office release.
As for the charges, Cooper is facing several, including armed burglary and grand theft of a firearm, along with counts of vehicle burglary and conspiracy. Similarly, charges have been brought against Lester, encompassing armed burglary and grand theft of a firearm, among others. Parker’s charges include grand theft of a firearm and tampering with evidence.
