A late-night boat theft near Lake Panasoffkee turned into a nearly four-hour manhunt, with Sumter County deputies scouring canals, parkland and thick brush before pulling two teenagers out of a drainage culvert beside an elementary school.
According to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, marine units, K‑9 teams and an air unit were all called in as crews worked the shoreline and nearby canals. Deputies say the teens were eventually found hiding in a retention pipe and taken into custody without further incident.
Owner Says He Watched a Masked Man Take His Boat
Boat owner Gage Parrott told investigators he actually watched the theft unfold from his property, spotting someone in a red ski mask climbing around his docked vessel and struggling to fire up the engine.
"I saw a guy walking around my boat with a red ski mask," Parrott told FOX 35 Orlando. He said his stepfather then followed the stolen boat in an airboat and dropped a GPS pin, which helped deputies zero in on the area where the craft was abandoned.
Search Zeroed In on Canals and Parkland
Deputies focused their search around Outlet Park and along the south side of a canal near Northwest 27th Terrace and County Road 415 as they followed a series of tips about the stolen boat. Authorities say the suspects ditched the vessel and fled into a heavily wooded area near Princess Lake, prompting deputies to conduct door-to-door checks in the surrounding neighborhood.
The sheriff’s office deployed boats, K‑9s and a helicopter to sweep the area, according to WFTV. After several hours and multiple tips, the search shifted to a retention culvert near an elementary school, where deputies say they located the teens.
Teens Pulled From Culvert, Hit With Multiple Charges
Deputies say a 14‑year‑old and a 17‑year‑old were found hiding inside the retention culvert and were taken into custody. Both teens were charged with grand theft valued between $5,000 and $10,000, trespassing on school grounds and resisting an officer without violence, according to FOX 35 Orlando. Their names have not been released, and authorities say the investigation is still active.
Legal Notes
Because the suspects are juveniles, their cases will initially move through Florida’s juvenile justice system. State law allows prosecutors to seek adult prosecution under specific criteria, including discretionary and mandatory transfer provisions.
Florida’s juvenile transfer rules, including voluntary, discretionary and mandatory transfers, are outlined in Florida Statutes, Chapter 985.
Deputies have asked anyone with additional information to contact the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Residents reported a strong law-enforcement presence in the area during the overnight operation. The boat was recovered and the suspects remain in custody while investigators continue to work the case, as reported by WFTV.
