A pair of teenage boys in Florida have been arrested and accused of grand theft auto after leading Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a chase.
Terence Hipps, 15, and Ian Collins, 14, are accused of stealing a red Toyota RAV4 from Riverview, Florida, on Sunday.
Deputies said they spotted the car driving northbound on Interstate 75, and the teens refusing to pull over, starting a high-speed chase.
The car was ultimately stopped on State Road 618 with the aid of the Florida Highway Patrol, said the sheriff’s office.
Mr. Hipps faces charges of grand theft auto, fleeing to elude at high speed and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon.
Law enforcement did not specify what weapon Mr. Hipps is alleged to have used or when the purported aggravated assault occurred.
Mr. Collins, meanwhile, is only facing a grand theft auto charge, according to deputies.
The sheriff’s office also posted on social media aerial video footage of the pursuit.
𝗝𝗨𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗔𝗥, 𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 #teamHCSO is pleading with citizens to protect themselves against crimes of opportunity after two teenagers were arrested and charged with Grand Theft.
On Sunday, September 24,… pic.twitter.com/yjW9i9SRTF
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) September 25, 2023
The car was not broken into, said authorities, who urged citizens to be more vigilant in securing their cars, even when taking quick trips in and out of buildings.
“Unfortunately, there are people in our community who never learned that if something is not theirs, don’t touch it. Lock your car, no matter how quickly you’re going to be inside your home. This car was left unlocked and running in a driveway, making it easy for these teens to steal,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.
