3 suspects wanted for vehicle theft and hit-and-run

Authorities want help from the public to identify three suspects in a hit-and-run and car theft.

On Thursday, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a vehicle theft at a RaceTrac gas station in Charlotte County.

The gas station was right off the Kings Highway exit for I-75 on Sandhill Boulevard. There, the suspects are accused of stealing a red Jeep Wrangler 4-door. It was last seen driving into Deep Creek after the theft.

According to the CCSO blogpost, it was determined three male suspects requested a ride from a Florida Highway Patrol state trooper to the gas station after the trooper found them walking along the highway. The trooper took them to the gas station and dropped them off, when the theft took place.

A deputy saw the stolen vehicle at the light for Kings Hwy. and Sandhill Blvd. The Jeep ran a red light and smashed into a car and kept going onto northbound I-75. The patrol car chased after the stolen vehicle until bad weather and the speed of the chase became unsafe.

The Jeep was found abandoned in Bradenton later.

Law enforcement agencies were unable to identify the suspects with the names given to the FHP trooper because they were fake.

Anyone with information on the identities of the suspect males, can contact the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office at 941-639-0013 or Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.

Calls to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers are anonymous and the tipster is eligible for a cash reward if the information they provide leads to an arrest.