3 South Florida men caught with 13 catalytic converters in trunk of stolen car – WFTV

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Three South Florida men are going through a protracted checklist of prices after deputies say they had been caught in a stolen car with a trunk full of catalytic converters.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

The investigation started Wednesday when Flagler County deputies had been alerted to a car touring alongside Palm Coast Parkway that had been reported stolen from Osceola County greater than per week earlier.

READ: Deputies: Cocoa officer arrested after an hours-long standoff

Deputies say the car was touring eastbound in the westbound lanes of Palm Coast Parkway with no headlights on.

Deputies used cease sticks to flatten two of the car’s tires close to Belle Terre Parkway but it surely was capable of proceed fleeing onto I-95 at excessive speeds.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies continued following the car from a protected distance southbound on I-95 till it grew to become disabled and got here to a cease close to the Flagler/Volusia County line.

The three occupants had been taken into custody with out additional incident.

READ: Southwest to resume normal operations ahead of more busy travel days

After looking the car, deputies say they discovered a New York license plate from one other car that had been reported stolen out of Palm Beach County on Dec. 1.

Deputies say additionally they discovered 13 catalytic converters in the trunk in addition to the instruments generally used to steal them. According to the sheriff’s workplace, one of the converters was stolen simply earlier than deputies made contact with the suspects.

The driver, recognized as 18-year-old Shancello Gazich of Port Saint Lucie, was arrested on a protracted checklist of prices together with grand theft from a car, possession of housebreaking instruments with intent, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, and fleeing and eluding.

Gazich is being held in the Flagler County jail on a complete of $46,500 bond.

(*13*)

His two passengers, recognized as 19-year-old Michael Antunez and 25-year-old Franko Louis- each from Miami- face prices of legal mischief, possession of housebreaking instruments with intent, grand theft from a car, housebreaking, and petit theft from a car. They had been booked into the Flagler County jail and have since been launched after posting $10,500 bond every.

“The theft of catalytic converters is a nationwide problem involving criminals that know no boundaries,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staley mentioned in a press release. “These three dirt-bags from South Florida thought they could successfully commit crime in Flagler County without getting caught…I commend our deputies for another outstanding job and safely apprehending them.”

Click here to obtain the free WFTV news and climate apps, click here to obtain the WFTV Now app on your sensible TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News reside.

©2022 Cox Media Group