ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff's Office property crimes squad and narcotics section arrested four people they said stole an undercover deputy's vehicle and the weapons inside, investigators said.
Quaran Clarke, 18, Gerardo Garcia, 16, Daniel Rodriguez, 18, and Gabriel Silva, 18, were arrested on Wednesday.
Deputies said the teens stole the vehicle from 5551 Del Verde Way in Orange County on June 10. Records showed there was no sign of forced entry to the car and one of the suspects told investigators keys were inside the vehicle. The car was later found at 10 p.m. at 5150 International Drive.
A 40-caliber Glock 27, the deputy’s personal weapon, along with a Heckler & Koch UMP submachine gun, a Smith and Weston 38 pistol, ammunition and two magazines, two narcotic short-sleeved shirts, a tactical vest with body armor and a sheriff’s star were stolen from the car, deputies said.
The Glock, submachine gun and two magazines were recovered following the arrests, deputies said.
The men told deputies the other items were sold to “unknown people,” investigators said. Other items they couldn't sell, they burned, Clarke said.
The sheriff's office said the unidentified deputy is being investigated for possible violations of agency policy. Those possible violations include not securing weapons in an agency vehicle and keeping unsecured weapons in a vehicle when the agent is off-duty.
Read: Agencies review policies after 5 guns stolen from law enforcement officers
Channel 9's Shannon Butler is following this developing story. Check back on wftv.com for updates.
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