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Hernando sheriff: Orlando mother turns in 18-year-old son in pawn shop burglary

 
Elijah Pickard, 18, of Orlando, was turned in by his own mother in connection with a pawn shop burglary, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office [Courtesy of Hernando County Sheriff's Office]
Elijah Pickard, 18, of Orlando, was turned in by his own mother in connection with a pawn shop burglary, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office [Courtesy of Hernando County Sheriff's Office]
Published June 22, 2017

Times Staff Writer

SPRING HILL — Hernando deputies have arrested a fourth person in connection with a pawn shop burglary, but they really didn't have to do anything to find him.

That's because the mother of Elijah Pickard, 18, called the Hernando County Sheriff's Office to report her son's involvement. Then she drove him from Orlando so he could turn himself in.

Three arrests have already been made in connection with the burglary. Four of the five connected to the incident are under the age of 18.

Deputies responded to an alarm at Gold-N-Pawnd II at 5224 Mariner Boulevard at 4 a.m. Monday and found the business's front door window broken, according to the Sheriff's Office. Then they saw a car speeding away.

The blue Hyundai Sonata fled deputies before crashing on the side of the southbound Suncoast Parkway. When a deputy approached, he saw four males running away.

Deputies then spent hours searching the area of Pristine Place, Hibiscus Springs Apartments and surrounding neighborhoods on the ground, with search dogs and a sheriff's helicopter. After five hours, deputies said they found three young males between the ages of 12, 15 and 16 but could not find the fourth.

During its investigation, the Sheriff's Office said it learned the Sonata was stolen from the Orlando area. They also found that nothing was stolen from Gold-N-Pawnd II because while the front door's window was broken, no one could have gained entry through the bars on the door. The three arrestees said they drove from Orlando to Spring Hill to break into the shop to steal guns or money, according to the Sheriff's Office.

All three were arrested and taken to the Marion Juvenile Detention Center in Ocala. The Tampa Bay Times is not identifying them because of their ages.

The fourth arrest was made Tuesday after the Sheriff's Office said an Orlando mother called and said her son, Pickard, admitted that he was involved in the burglary.

The mother then drove her son to Hernando County and turned him in. Pickard faces charges such as grand theft auto, burglary, causing damage over $1,000 with enhancements of wearing a mask, possession of burglary tools, fleeing and eluding an officer and resisting an officer without violence. He was being held in the county jail Thursday in lieu $5,000.

Deputies have also issued a juvenile pick-up order for a fifth person that may be involved. But the Sheriff's Office did not identify that person or explain their possible role in the burglary.

Contact Chris Bowling at cbowling@tampabay.com or at (813) 435-7308. Follow @chrismbowling.