Two Florida residents were arrested while allegedly burglarizing a home after calling 911 for a ride to the airport, according to a statement from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Last week, Polk County officials responded to a 911 call from an unoccupied residence. The caller did not speak. After arriving at the house, they found an unlocked sliding glass door and entered.
Upon entry, police reportedly found the two suspects, 23-year-old Martin Gonzalez-Garcia and 22-year-old Ashializ Roldan-Oscasio, who had no ties to the house. The house’s real estate agent later told police that he neither knew the suspects nor gave them permission to occupy the residence.
The couple had $138.50 worth of electronics, which Gonzalez-Garcia had allegedly stolen from a Dollar General store earlier that day. Police said they immediately recognized him from Dollar General’s security camera footage.
When police asked Roldan-Oscasio why she had called them, she apparently made what the Polk County Sheriff’s Office called a “surprising admission”:
Roldan-Oscasio allegedly called the police for help “moving their belongings from the house (the one they were burglarizing).” She reportedly asked police officers for a ride to the airport “because they wanted to go to New York for the weekend.”
Although a police car may be an unconventional getaway vehicle choice, deputies were happy to help the suspects “with their belongings, and DID give them a ride, but it wasn’t to the airport…it was to the Polk Pokey…[which] is much better than New York anyway,” the sheriff’s office statement continued.
Roldan-Oscasio and Gonzalez-Garcia were charged with burglary of a residence, cannabis possession, and drug paraphernalia possession. Gonzalez-Garcia was also charged with burglary and theft related to the incident at the Dollar General store.
According to Gonzalez-Garcia’s arrest affidavit, he allegedly admitted to stealing from the Dollar General during police questioning. However, he insisted that he needed to steal the items to sell them and make money.
He also reportedly admitted to the burglary of the residence.
“Martin stated he knew what he did was wrong, but needed the money. Martin stated he knew the residence was not his and did not have permission to be in, but had to get inside to get out of the cold,” the affidavit continued.
The brazen burglary in Florida last week parallels the rampant crime problem in Dallas, where the city council has declined to prioritize law enforcement and public safety.