WATCH: Florida Burglars Drive Truck With 'Stolen Tag' Written On Cardboard
By Zuri Anderson
January 11, 2023
Two brazen burglars in Florida were arrested after cops spotted them driving around with a "stolen tag" etched in cardboard, according to law enforcement.
The Brevard County Sheriff's Office was looking for suspects who targeted several homes and stole belongings, including a firearm and jewelry, between January 2 and January 4. Surveillance video gave deputies a description of the perpetrators plus the vehicle they were riding in: a maroon Dodge RAM with a piece of cardboard displaying the details of a stolen tag.
Authorities said they found the pickup on Pineda Causeway, where the suspects were trying to replace the cardboard tag with the vehicle's real license plate. Dashcam footage shows deputies pulling up to the Dodge and immediately apprehending the driver. The passenger thought he could sneak away from the cops, as the video shows, but he was taken into custody, as well.
HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FOR CRIMINALS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT “MESS AROUND AND FIND OUT” MEANS IN BREVARD COUNTY I mean it’s only the 5th day of the new year and here we are with Episode 2 of “Mess Around and Find Out,” after two thugs decided to come to Brevard County and try to steal our citizens stuff!! Now in fairness, the two criminals aren’t from Brevard County and clearly didn’t do their research before picking their next targets of residential burglaries, but that’s no excuse, so they still get to find out exactly what happens when you target our citizens and try to make them a victim!! This case happened after several residential burglaries occurred between Monday and Wednesday of this week, during which a significant number of items were stolen from our citizens, including firearms, jewelry, and personal documents!! Luckily, we had video from some of the residences that were targeted and were quickly able to see what the suspects looked like and that they were driving a very inconspicuous, lifted maroon in color Dodge RAM Truck with after-market wheels and a piece of cardboard with “Stolen Tag” written on it!! During the more recent burglaries that occurred on Wednesday, several neighbors were able to provide a description of the vehicle, as they always partner with our agency to keep our community safe. As a result, Deputies spotted the suspect vehicle on the Pineda Causeway as the two perpetrators were attempting to make their escape onto I-95, but stopped just prior to the interstate, to replace the cardboard tag with the vehicle’s real license plate. Deputies quickly converged on the vehicle and took the driver into custody, while the passenger apparently thought he was in stealth mode and couldn’t be seen trying to hide around the front of the truck. As you could see in the video, his little butt also got taken into custody by responding Deputies who apprehended him at the front of the vehicle. And while this is already a great “Mess Around and Find Out” story, it actually gets even better as the passenger, Anthony Sosa of Lake Mary, was already out of jail on a $150,000 bond for armed burglary in another county, and the driver, Chad Doulette of The Villages, he was actually wearing an ankle monitor as the result of previous armed burglary charges!! You see folks this is the problem…these thugs get arrested for violent offenses, get out of jail on ridiculous bonds or ankle monitors, and then turn right around and target other citizens. When are we as a society going to say, “enough is enough” and start keeping violent offenders locked behind bars where they can’t victimize anyone else? On a positive note, Chad Doulette and Anthony Sosa have both currently been charged with armed burglary, possession of a firearm by convicted felon, grand theft, and multiple other charges. Trust me when I tell you that more charges are forthcoming and I hope both are enjoying their stay at “Ivey’s Iron Bar Lodge” on “No Bond” status. I feel confident that after staying with us for a while they will realize that committing crime in Brevard County was a tremendous mistake!! As I always say “it takes a community to protect a community” and this case is a perfect example of exactly what that looks like, as our citizens saw something and said something!! A huge personal thank you to our citizens for partnering with us to keep Brevard a safe place to call home and also a huge “job well done” to our Deputies and Agents for their diligent work in getting these two behind bars where they belong!! Oh and by the way…if you want to learn how much you have to mess around in Brevard County before you find out, just stay tuned!! Sheriff Wayne Ivey #brevardsheriff #sheriffwayneivey #MAFO
Posted by Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Florida (Official) on Thursday, January 5, 2023
The suspects were identified as Chad Doulette of The Villages (the driver) and Anthony Sosa of Lake Mary. Deputies also recovered a handgun and thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from the truck.
Doulette and Sosa were previously convicted of attempted burglary and grand theft, respectively, in Lee County, according to the sheriff's office. Now, they're facing charges of armed burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft, and more.