In Kissimmee, Fla., two masked individuals were apprehended for attempting to open car door handles early on Tuesday morning, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. These individuals have been linked to almost two dozen previous burglary incidents.
The suspects, identified as Joshua Mahase, 18, and Julian Cortez, 19, and another unidentified person, were noticed by a resident on Pickerel Court, forming the basis of the report made to the deputies regarding the questionable behavior.
The sheriff’s office cited home surveillance footage showing the suspects dressed in dark attire, ski masks, and gloves while attempting to unlock the door handles of a black Chevrolet truck. One suspect was also seen holding a red tool bag.
They left the area in a white Nissan Maxima, which deputies later found making a right turn off Lake Marion Creek Road onto Marigold Avenue.
Authorities stopped the vehicle and detained Mahase and Cortez. The sheriff’s office was still working to identify the third suspect as of Wednesday.
Investigators said they found several clothing items inside the Nissan Maxima that matched what the suspects were seen wearing earlier that morning, including masks and leather gloves.
Also inside the vehicle were multiple driver’s licenses, passports, and debit and credit cards that authorities said did not belong to either Mahase or Cortez.
According to the sheriff’s office, Mahase admitted to targeting unlocked vehicles, and provided detectives with details on several additional burglaries that had previously been reported.
Detectives said they were able to link the suspects to at least 20 burglaries over a six-week time span, and they were charged accordingly. They also face drug charges for marijuana deputies said they found in their car.
The charges against them include the following:
- Possession of cannabis
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Maintaining a vehicle for drug use
- Possession of stolen IDs (nine counts)
- Grand theft – firearm
- Conspiracy to commit fraud (10 counts)
- Conspiracy to commit grand theft
- Fraudulent use of credit/debit card (three counts)
- Possession of burglary tools (20 counts)
- Petit theft (19 counts)
- Unlawful possession of personal ID (five or more)
- Armed burglary conveyance
- Conspiracy to commit burglary conveyance (20 counts)
- Burglary unoccupied unarmed conveyance (19 counts)
“Thanks to the citizen who saw something, and said something, we were able to quickly respond and stop these brazen thieves and their criminal enterprise,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “For over a month they’ve been victimizing citizens who are sleeping peacefully in the northeast area of our county, breaking into their cars and stealing their stuff. And now they’re facing very serious felonies. This is also a great reminder to you all to lock your car doors.”
