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Trio Jailed In String Of Hillsborough Car Burglaries
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Published: October 16, 2008
Updated: 10/16/2008 02:29 pm
TAMPA - Three people broke into several vehicles inside and outside of Tampa city limits and stole thousands of dollars in property during a five-hour crime spree that ended early Wednesday, investigators say.
The trio arrested Wednesday morning were Raymond Martinez, 17, of Riverview; Ramon Rivera, 19, of Tampa; and Ronaldo Fernandez, 20, of Tampa.
Hillsborough County deputies stopped a vehicle the trio was in at 5:48 a.m. Wednesday at Grady Avenue and Humphrey Street.
The vehicle belongs to Fernandez's father.
Investigators found property not belonging to the three and determined that the property came from several burglaries in the Tampa area, a Tampa police report states.
The trio wore rubber gloves and used screwdrivers to break into vehicles, police say. The Tampa break-ins occurred north and south of Hillsborough Avenue and west of Florida Avenue.
In one instance Wednesday morning, Fernandez told investigators, Rivera drove away from the 4700 block of Habana Avenue with a stolen vehicle, according to a criminal arrest affidavit. The vehicle was found with more than $1,000 damage. The trio had the victim's wallet in their possession when deputies arrested them.
When deputies approached the trio in a 2002 Ford on Wednesday morning, they found a stolen Colt .45-caliber pistol in a yellow backpack leaning against the rear passenger seat, deputies say.
According to deputies, Rivera and Martinez are gang members. Rivera was released from prison July 19 after being convicted of grand theft and burglary of a structure, deputies say.
Charges against Martinez, Rivera and Fernandez include 13 counts each of burglary of a conveyance. They also face several counts of possession of burglary tools, petty theft and grand theft third degree, and were charged with grand theft firearm and grand theft motor vehicle.
Martinez, 17, is not a student at a Hillsborough County public school, district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said.
Martinez, Rivera and Fernandez remain in Orient Road Jail today. Their bail has not been set.
Deputies are continuing to investigate whether the trio has stolen items from additional vehicles, sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway said.
Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said there may be more charges.
Investigators will gather stolen property and try returning it to the rightful owners, but some items might be needed as evidence in court and won't be returned for a while, Callaway said.
Davis said victims that live in Tampa can call (813) 231-6130 about reclaiming their items.
Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.
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