YULEE, Fla. – Five people were arrested in connection to a vehicle burglary spree in Nassau County.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said on Sept. 7, it received reports of vehicle break-ins at the Heron Isles Subdivision along Albatross Drive in Yulee.
A victim said on Saturday, he saw multiple suspects entering his truck but fled when he approached them.
Investigators said multiple cars were burglarized in the subdivision, with one victim reporting the theft of a gun and chef’s knife.
Police said five people were arrested in connection to the burglaries.
Jakwan Harris, 18, was arrested and had possession of a gun.
Jalaal Collins, 23, was found nearby in a burglarized vehicle.
Harambee Martin, 19, was arrested after a pursuit on foot where a missing gun was found near where he tried to jump a fence. A K-9 unit was used to down Martin.
Darius Watson, 17, was stopped while walking down Heron Isles Parkway with a stolen backpack containing two stolen guns and magazines.
Officials said all the suspects were charged with armed burglary. Martin and Watson were charged with grand theft of a firearm.
Surveillance footage showed them checking the door handles of various vehicles.
Carrie Tuohy was one of the multiple victims whose car was burglarized while it sat in the driveway of a home she was house-sitting.
She had no idea her car was burglarized until a deputy showed up at the door.
“They could see the glove compartment open and whatnot,” Tuohy said.
Although Tuohy didn’t leave a gun in her car, she regrets leaving it unlocked.
“I should have locked my car,” Tuohy said. “I really should have but I didn’t. I’ve been sitting in this neighborhood for several years now and have three clients on this street, so I never felt the need to lock it but I will now.”
Investigators said the suspects traveled from Jacksonville to commit these burglaries using a stolen vehicle. Christiyah Johnson, 23, allegedly came to the area to pick them up after the crimes were committed.
Police said Johnson was an Instacart delivery driver who frequently made deliveries to the area.
Deputies learned Johnson is Martin’s older sister and the mother to Collins’ unborn child.
Martin, Collins, Watson, and Harris traveled in a car that was reported stolen in Jacksonville.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper emphasized the importance of locking vehicles.
“These thug criminals from Jacksonville are targeting unlocked vehicles, which are easy targets,” Leeper said. “Making sure you don’t leave valuable items inside your vehicle and your car doors are locked can go a long way in preventing these types of crimes.”
The sheriff’s office also reminded residents not to leave firearms in vehicles.
According to a recent report from Everytown for Gun Safety – A non-profit organization formed from the merger of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Mayors Against Illegal Guns --- gun thefts from cars have tripled what it was a decade ago -- 21 thefts per 100,000 people in 2013 to 63 thefts per the same number of people in 2022. For Sheriff Leeper, recovering the stolen guns in this case was vital.
All five suspects face a list of felony charges in connection to the burglaries.