Four males arrested after group of car thieves hits Lakewood Ranch

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office arrested four males in the Harmony of Lakewood Ranch area early Friday morning in connection with three stolen vehicles and a burglary.

A 19-year-old male, Tyreak Allen, was arrested along with three juvenile males, ages 14, 15 and 16. 

The Sheriff's Office was contacted at 2:57 a.m. Friday by a Harmony resident who was concerned after seeing several males in hoodies attempting to burglarize vehicles. The caller provided deputies with a description of a car that appeared to be with them.

According to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report, deputies arrived on scene to find a vehicle matching that description, and it quickly drove away, followed by another vehicle. The Sheriff's Office report said three other suspects were seen running away when they saw deputies. The deputies attempted to stop the two vehicles, but the males turned down a cul-de-sac and jumped out of the two cars, which both continued to roll into a pond.

K-9 units found one of the minors hiding in brush, and he was arrested. Another minor was found hiding in the Central Park village. He failed to comply with deputies' commands and was subdued by a police dog. A Sheriff's Office helicopter found two of the suspects — a minor and Allen — hiding in a patio of a Harmony home. They were arrested without incident.

One of the vehicles in the pond had been stolen from the Harmony neighborhood while the other vehicle in the pond had been stolen from another area. Another vehicle, which also was stolen from Harmony, was found parked two blocks away from the neighborhood. The keys to that vehicle were found in Allen's pocket.

One of the stolen vehicles had two firearms inside it.

Three of the suspects were charged with grand theft motor vehicle, two with aggravated fleeing to elude, two with burglary to an occupied dwelling, two with loitering and prowling, and one with resisting arrest without violence.