Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives assigned to the Northeast District of the Four Corners area of ​​Polk County solved a series of vehicle break-ins in Poinciana and arrested the two teenage suspects responsible; they also recovered a stolen firearm that the suspects used to threaten another teenager.

The investigation began on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, when deputies learned that an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon had occurred in the area of ​​Gannet Court in Poinciana. A teenage suspect pointed a loaded gun at another teenager and told the victim he was going to shoot him. The victim ran away.

Deputies identified the teenager named Christopher as 17-year-old Christopher Thomas. While responding to Thomas’ home on Gannet Court, they saw him walking on Audubon Road with 16-year-old Jeremius Butler (who lives on Kingfish Drive). Deputies asked the two about the gun, at which point Thomas admitted seeing Butler point it at the victim and then throw it into the woods. He continued to cooperate and showed deputies where the loaded Glock 43 was thrown. Butler also implicated Thomas and said Thomas helped him hide the firearm.

When deputies learned the gun had been reported stolen the previous day by a Platypus Court homeowner, Thomas and Butler admitted to stealing the gun from that victim’s vehicle. Detectives discovered several vehicle break-ins in the area during the same time frame – two other break-ins took place on Blackbird Way, and the suspects are seen on video surveillance committing them. The suspects told deputies they were wearing masks and that they struggled for each other as they broke into the cars. Victims reported cash and purses stolen from unlocked cars. Two other vehicles were not broken into due to locked doors.

Christopher Thomas, who is on probation, was arrested and charged with: Armed Burglary (F1); committing the crime while wearing the mask (F1); grand theft (F3); grand theft of a firearm (F3); 2 counts of burglary of a means of transport (F3); 2 counts of attempted burglary (F3); 2 counts of conspiracy to commit burglary (F3); aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (F3), tampering with evidence (F3), possession of a firearm by a person under 18 (M1) and breach of probation (M2).

Jeremius Butler was arrested and charged with: Armed Burglary (F1); committing the crime while wearing the mask (F1); grand theft (F3); grand theft of a firearm (F3); 2 counts of burglary of a means of transport (F3); 2 counts of attempted burglary (F3); 2 counts of conspiracy to commit burglary (F3); aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (F3), tampering with evidence (F3) and possession of a firearm by a person under 18 (M1).

“This goes beyond children’s misbehavior. These kids broke into cars, stole a gun and then used the loaded gun to threaten another teenager. It’s time for some serious consequences for these juvenile criminals. And one more thing – lock your car doors!” – Grady Judd, the sheriff