Two teenagers were arrested after being accused of stealing multiple cars and committing burglaries in Babcock Ranch before taking the vehicles for joyrides.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said that Adam Giordano, 16, and Justen Bowles, 17, face multiple charges in both Charlotte and Lee counties.
On January 5, deputies responded to a home on Palmetto Street in Babcock Ranch after a vehicle was reported stolen overnight.
The car was reportedly found a few houses away, and the owner noticed approximately 150 miles of gas had been used and that the vehicle smelled of marijuana.
Investigators determined the car was stolen around 8:30 p.m. and returned just before midnight. Deputies said security footage showed Giordano and Bowles stealing the car and later parking it.
On January 10, deputies said they saw three individuals at Jack Peeples Community Park after hours, including Giordano. Deputies questioned the group and took photographs.
The next day, deputies responded to another incident in Babcock Ranch, where two individuals attempted to break into a car on Pinewood Bend.
Although they failed to access the vehicle, video evidence provided by the homeowner showed the suspects.
Several other residents in the area reported similar incidents, with one noting that his white car had been stolen and later returned covered in mud and nearly out of gas.
During their investigation, deputies discovered that Giordano and Bowles were also involved in a commercial burglary in Lee County, where they allegedly broke into a vape shop and stole products before leaving in a stolen car.
Deputies arrested Giordano, who they said confessed to the car burglaries, thefts, and the Lee County burglary. Bowles was later arrested as well.
Both suspects face charges in Charlotte County and additional charges in Lee County.
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