“Increase in Vehicle Gun Thefts Raises Concerns Among Central Florida Police”

SANFORD, Fla. – Court records show an 18-year-old is facing a burglary charge after police say he broke into a vehicle and stole a handgun.

Sanford police shared details of the incident on social media, seeking help from the public about a suspect involved in the theft of various items, notably an “all-black 9MM pistol,” from a vehicle situated near Hickory Avenue and 8th Street earlier that June.

Within a week, Kaiden Rodriguez was arrested.

An arrest report on Rodriguez indicates that his own grandmother came across the image shared by the police and promptly informed officers, recognizing her grandson.

Officers went to the home where Rodriguez lives and searched for the handgun but did not find it in the house.

Sanford Police reported to News 6 that since January 2024, there have been 39 instances of firearms being stolen from vehicles. Out of these, 23 cases occurred in 2024, with the remaining 16 happening in 2025.

News 6 has reported on several similar crimes this summer where firearms have been stolen out of vehicles.

Police in Tavares said there was a “concerning uptick” after two pistols were stolen in a string of 8 car burglaries in the Elmwood subdivision.

“Criminals unfortunately act as opportunists, targeting unlocked vehicles that may have been inadvertently left unsecured,” stated Caitlin Diaz, Public Information Officer for the Tavares Police.

Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey told News 6 Trooper Steve that it’s one of the most common crimes his department sees.

“We’ve consistently faced the issue of citizens not locking their car doors and leaving valuables inside,” expressed Chief Jesse Godfrey. “What frustrates us most about these break-ins is the fact that people also leave their firearms in their vehicles, necessitating our efforts to secure them.”

Godfrey said he worries the weapons will be used in other crimes.

“I just don’t, I don’t want to put the guns in the wrong hands,” Godfrey said.

It’s a problem across Central Florida. On Monday, News 6 asked several local law enforcement agencies how often these burglaries happen here.

A spokesperson with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said there have been 18 guns stolen from vehicles in their jurisdiction so far this year. In 2024, there were 31 total stolen.

A spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said generally speaking there are about 350 firearms stolen from vehicles annually in unincorporated Orange County.

An analysis of FBI crime data done by Everytown found on average, a gun is stolen from a car every 9 minutes in the U.S. They also found that cars are often parked in driveways and outside of homes when these burglaries happen, which demonstrates the importance of properly securing firearms at all times.