WINTER HAVEN, FL — A Winter Haven man was arrested after the Bluetooth speaker he allegedly stole started blasting music when a determined victim drove through a nearby neighborhood until his phone reconnected to the device and traced the sound straight to the suspect’s home.
According to the Winter Haven Police Department, officers responded to a home on Lakeside Landings Boulevard around 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 16 after the victim reported that a Bluetooth speaker, valued at $630, had been stolen from his work truck.
Earlier that day, the victim had been working at a construction site along Lucerne Park Road. He left the site for a short time and discovered the speaker missing when he returned.
The victim then drove through a nearby neighborhood to see if the speaker would reconnect to his phone. Police said the Bluetooth connection activated in front of the home of 19-year-old Jesus Luciano Velazquez. The victim began playing music through the connected speaker and heard it coming from inside the residence before calling police.
According to WHPD, Luciano Velazquez initially denied knowing anything about the speaker. However, after officers told him they could obtain surveillance footage from the construction site, police said he admitted taking it after riding his bicycle to the property.
Investigators said Luciano Velazquez believed the speaker had a tracking device after the victim arrived at his home and attempted to take it apart to find the device. Police said there was no tracking device, and approximately $200 in damage was caused to the speaker.
Officers recovered the speaker and confirmed it belonged to the victim by connecting it to his phone and playing music. Luciano Velazquez was booked into the Polk County Jail on charges of burglary of an unoccupied vehicle, criminal mischief and petit theft. Nothing further at this time.
SOURCE: WINTER HAVEN POLICE DEPARTMENT
