LAKELAND, Fla. — According to the Lakeland Police Department, two thieves were on their way out the door with all the appliances from a newly renovated home for sale when they were interrupted.
“They were trying to take the refrigerator, the stove, the microwave, and the washer and dryer from the residence,” said Stephanie Kerr, Public Information Officer for the Lakeland Police Department.
Officers said around 4:30 a.m. Friday, a neighbor called the police after noticing a suspicious truck at the house and then hearing a window break. Police said the suspects attempted to flee when officers arrived at the home in the 600 block of West Crescent Drive.
“The suspects ran out of the house and got back in the truck. They tried to speed off and they sped directly toward one of our police officers, striking the officer’s driver-side door,” Kerr said.
The officer's leg was pinned against her door and the suspect’s vehicle. James Williams, 26, and Jimmy Robinson, 33, eventually crashed into a utility pole and were taken into custody.
Both suspects are from the Orlando area. Kerr said it is similar to when thieves come from other counties, break into cars, and then take the stolen property back out of the county, making it harder for officers to track down the suspects.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, countywide, there have been 57 cases of appliance thefts since January. Most of those thefts happened at homes that were under construction.
“In the past, it has been a trend in Lakeland in new developments where there has been a lot of homes under construction,” said Kerr.
