CLEARWATER, Fla. — Police have arrested a burglary suspect in Clearwater thanks to the help of the suspect's mother.
Clearwater Police shared a surveillance video of the burglary on social media, which was then seen by the suspect's mom. After realizing her son was the suspect in the video, she arranged for him to turn himself in at police headquarters.
"I said you got 30 minutes to get home, take your shower, get you something good to eat, I said because you're going over to Clearwater, that's where I'm going to take you and turn you in."
Sandra Green tells ABC Action News, she requested her son stay in jail for couple weeks to learn a hard lesson.
Her son asked her if she'd bail him out, but Green said that wasn't an option.
"He's a pretty soft kid, never been in trouble and I'm pretty sure he's probably going to break down before the night over with," said Green.
Kevin King, 18, of Riverview was charged with burglary and grand theft. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail early Thursday.
The burglary happened on April 25 in the 3200 block of San Mateo Street and King was seen on video ringing the doorbell of the home. When no one answered, King and two other suspects went around the back of the house and entered through a sliding glass door. The three suspects stole items worth $5,000, some of which detectives have since recovered.
Green vows her son is a good kid who briefly ran with the wrong crowd.
She calls her actions tough love and hopes this is a wake-up call that just might keep him alive.
"I would rather identify my son on a video than to come identify his body any day," said Green. "Because if he's gone into someone's home, they have the right to gun him down."
Clearwater police continue to search for the other two suspects involved.
