Teens Stole 7 Firearms, Ammunition, Liquor

Two Sunlake High students broke into a Lutz home and walked out with seven firearms, ammunition and at least two knives, as well as a carved pipe collection, liquor and cigars, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Then, one of them broke into the home again, this time with a different accomplice.

The names of the three teens are being withheld by Patch because of their ages.

According to arrest reports, the first break in occurred Dec. 17 on Fox Chapel Drive in Lutz while the homeowner was out of town. At that time, seven firearms with a reported value of $2,500, along with ammunition, knives, a pipe collection valued at more than $5,000 and a variety of consumables such as liquor and cigars were taken.

On Dec. 23, the pipes and the consumables were found a recovered in a wooded area near the home, however, the firearms were not, according to the report.

On Jan. 8, one of the firearms and one of the knives was turned into the Tampa Police Department by a private attorney who said the items were turned over to him by a client who knew they were stolen, the report stated.

During the investigation, detectives learned from interviews with the teens that one of them returned with a third teen on Dec. 18. At that time, the two smoked marijuana and watched a pay-per-view movie at the homeowner's expense, according to the report.

Two of the teens ran away together after the burglary, but information obtained at the school indicated "the word at school was that (the) two may have been involved in a burglary involving the theft of numerous firearms," the report stated.

The two were later recovered in Knoxville, Tenn., by their parents, according to the report.

On Jan. 15, an interview was conducted with one of the teens who "fully confessed" to the incident, telling deputies he and the other teen used the homeowner's vehicle to move the stolen property from the home, the report stated. The third teen later told deputies he was picked up in that vehicle the following night at about midnight to break in the home again. He also said his co-defendant had one of the pistols taken the previous night, the report stated.

Deputies also determined that the private attorney who turned in the firearm and knife was the father of one of the teens, according to the report.

Two of the teens were charged with residential burglary, according to the arrest reports. The other teen was charged with armed residential burglary.

The remaining six firearms have not yet been recovered, according to the sheriff's office.

Missing are the following weapons:

.25 cal pistol

Remington 870 Shotgun

Enfield WWI Rifle with Bayonet

Springfield 22 cal rifle

Baretta 380 Cal handgun

Ruger Single 6 .22 cal revolver

Anyone with information about these weapons is asked to contact the Pasco Sheriff's Office Crime Tips Line at 1-800-706-2488.