Sanford Teen Arrested In Deltona Armed Carjacking

Date Added: January 31, 2018 1:32 pm

Laura Williams
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

SANFORD TEEN ARRESTED IN DELTONA ARMED CARJACKING

Sheriff’s detectives have arrested a Sanford teenager who they say followed his 76-year-old victim to his Deltona home, pointed a gun at the victim’s head and demanded the keys to the victim’s red 2016 Corvette.

Robert L. Smith, 16, (D.O.B.: 9/26/01) is charged with armed carjacking and grand theft.

“This could have turned tragic. A young thug points a gun at a 76-year-old man and steals his car from his driveway,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said. “We made this a priority due to the severity of the crime.”  

Chitwood praised Volusia County sheriff’s detectives for “great detective work” and a quick turnaround in the case. The incident occurred Saturday just before 3 p.m. when the victim returned home from doing errands, exited his car and turned around to find a black male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants. The male pointed a pistol at the victim’s head and demanded the keys, and the victim complied, telling deputies he feared he would be shot or killed.

With the use of On-Star in-vehicle security system and the sheriff’s Air 1 helicopter, deputies found the abandoned vehicle at Enterprise Cove apartment complex in Orange City. With the help of surveillance video and processing the Corvette, investigators traced fingerprints to Smith. Detectives interviewed him Tuesday afternoon in Sanford and made the arrest.

Smith remains in juvenile detention in Sanford with no bail allowed. He is expected to be extradited to Volusia County within a few days.