2 Suspects Arrested In Countywide Car Breaks; 3rd Sought

Date Added: November 14, 2017 6:09 pm

Laura Williams
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

2 SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN COUNTYWIDE CAR BREAKS; 3^RD SOUGHT

Sheriff’s investigators have arrested two young male suspects in a string of vehicle thefts and burglaries that have plagued Volusia residents countywide since Oct. 30. A third male suspect is also being sought.

Arrested Tuesday, Nov. 14, were Erik Smith, 20, and Markees Shine, 18. Both are charged with 12 car burglaries, three counts of grand theft auto and grand theft firearm. In addition, Shine is also being charged with carrying a concealed firearm and carrying a firearm on school grounds. He was arrested Tuesday while entering Seabreeze High School and had a gun in his possession. Deputies are actively searching for the third suspect, Carmaine Givens, 19, in the vehicle burglary spree.

Detectives have linked the three men to at least 15-20 vehicle burglaries and at least three stolen vehicles in crimes that spanned from Deltona to Ormond Beach. Based on the timeframe and geographical areas of all the burglaries, investigators believe the crimes were likely related and committed by the same people. In fact, the suspects have reportedly bragged about the thefts on social media and boasted that they won’t be caught.

“I commend our detectives and deputies for their tireless work to catch these thugs,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said. “They have put in hours and hours to track down the people responsible for these car breaks. And we expect more charges as the cases continue to be investigated.”

The suspects have used the stolen vehicles to enter neighborhoods looking for unlocked vehicles, sometimes hitting multiple addresses on a street. The thieves stole wallets, purses, tools, money, credit cards, laptop computers and firearms. In most cases, vehicles are easy targets because they are often left unlocked and sometimes even contain spare keys to residents’ other vehicles.

Multiple vehicle burglaries have been reported since Oct. 31, possibly dozens, detectives say. Vehicle burglaries have been reported in Deltona on Salerno, McNeal, Lindera, and Summit Hill drives, along with Voyager and Anderson streets. In addition, a 2016 Toyota Highlander was stolen from a home on Blackstone Avenue in Deltona.

In east Volusia, a dark Nissan Altima was stolen sometime between Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 from a home on Ocean Pines Drive, Ormond Beach. On Nov. 2, a third vehicle – a 2016 white Jeep Cherokee SUV -- was stolen from Alamanda Drive, Ormond Beach.

Residents are reminded that they can avoid becoming crime victims by simply locking their vehicles and removing valuables, including vehicle keys, spare key sets, and garage door openers, every time.

“Help us help you. Be smart and don’t give these thieves the opportunity to steal your stuff,” Chitwood said.