Florida deputies had a stolen vehicle suspect fall into their arms — literally — when the man dropped through a ceiling during a standoff.
By Joe Vince for Officer.com
The Nov. 3 incident began when a license plate reader identified a pickup truck stolen out of Osceola County in October along County Road 512 for Indian River County sheriff’s deputies, the agency stated in an online news release. Thanks to efforts by the sheriff’s office’s real-time crime center, he suspect — later identified as Keith Rodgers — was seen using the pick to haul lumber from a Home Depot.
When deputies found the stolen truck, it was parked outside a home, and Rodgers was unloading the lumber. The suspect fled inside the house when he spotted deputies and refused to surrender.
“Due to his extensive criminal history and previous statements that he would get into a shootout before going back to jail, SWAT and Crisis Negotiators were deployed,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Deputies believed to hiding in the home’s attic during the standoff. Eventually, SWAT officers entered the home, and they received a surprise.
“After several hours, Rodgers fell through the ceiling into the arms of SWAT members,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Rodgers was taken into custody without incident. He faces multiple felony charges in Indian River and Osceola counties.
Find the original article in its entirety on Officer.com.
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