BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A 20-year-old suspected car thief has had a busy couple of days, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
BSO detectives announced Friday that Franklin Sanders, of Orlando, was arrested Feb. 16 for the grand theft of a Mercedes Maybach.
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Authorities said Sanders was released on bond Monday from the Joseph V. Conte Jail Facility in Pompano Beach.
BSO’s Burglary Apprehension Team also worked alongside law enforcement partners in Broward and across several Florida counties to arrest Sanders for the grand theft of a 2020 BMW sedan, according to investigators.
Authorities said Sanders has also been involved in previous incidents of high-end auto theft.
In last Friday’s incident, BSO detectives said they received information about a possible stolen Mercedes.
Deputies said they later observed three subjects attempting to disconnect the vehicle’s GPS.
The three subjects then drove to a location in Sunrise where BSO detectives said they worked alongside Sunrise police officers to safely stop the vehicle and arrest the subjects, including Sanders.
Investigators revealed that the car was stolen from the city of Miami.
In that case, BSO arrested Sanders on charges of grand theft auto, possession of burglary tools, criminal mischief and several other charges, according to jail records.
After his release from jail, detectives say Sanders was back behind the wheel of a stolen car just six days after his arrest.
On Wednesday, BSO deputies responded to a stolen vehicle call regarding a BMW in their town that was reported stolen out of Winter Park.
Detectives tracked the vehicle as it traveled through Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties, according to BSO.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, however, the driver failed to stop.
That’s when the driver of the BMW fled to a location in Osceola County, where deputies took Sanders and a 16-year-old male into custody on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, unoccupied burglary of a structure and other charges, authorities said.
Authorities have not identified the teen who was arrested in Wednesday’s incident.
Detectives are advising vehicle owners to take the following precautions to protect themselves against car thieves or car burglars:
• Never leave your car doors unlocked.
• Never leave your car keys or fobs in your car.
• Never leave valuables in your car.
• Never leave your garage door opener in your car.