BROOKSVILLE, FL – On Sunday, August 23-2020 at 12:39 a.m., Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Withlacoochee Coin Laundry in Brooksville in reference to the report of a stolen vehicle. The victim advised she left her key fob inside of her vehicle while she went into the laundromat to gather her laundry.
About 15 minutes later when the victim exited the business, she discovered her vehicle was missing. Due to the vehicle being equipped with OnStar, the victim was able to provide deputies with a current location of her stolen vehicle.
Deputies responded to the 15000 block of Ganster Drive in Brooksville where they located the stolen vehicle parked on the side of the road. As deputies approached the vehicle, three male suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Deputies quickly established a perimeter.
Deputy Jeff Andrews deployed his partner, K-9 Chase. Shortly after deployment, K-9 Chase led deputies to a treehouse located behind a residence located at 15184 Ganster Drive. Deputies then made contact with the homeowner who advised he saw the vehicle in question parked in the roadway when they arrived home shortly after 1 a.m.
The homeowner further advised he believed the vehicle belonged to his neighbor across the street. Deputies responded to the neighbor’s house where they spoke to an 18-year-old male. The teen told deputies, “My friends did something stupid tonight.”
The teen identified the two individuals who stole the vehicle from the laundromat as Nicklaus Martinez, 18 and Anthony King, 19. The teen advised Martinez and King drove to his house after stealing the car.
Not long after Martinez and King arrived, the teen said they saw law enforcement arrive on scene so he went inside of his residence, and his two friends ran away.
The teen’s mother gave deputies permission to search the treehouse. While the treehouse was locked from the inside, the deputies looked through a window and observed two individuals hiding inside.After several commands, both suspects exited the treehouse where they were arrested without incident. Both Martinez and King were charged with one count of Grand Theft Auto. Bond was set at $5,000 each.
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