'You can't hug a thug,' Polk sheriff Grady Judd says after teens lead police on a two-county chase

TAMPA — Teens stole two vehicles and led multiple law enforcement agencies on a two-county chase that resulted in a police crash and the teens' arrest Friday, authorities said.

The youngest suspect was a 14-year-old boy who had been arrested by police before, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

The three who drove into Tampa in a stolen car were 14, 15 and 17, Judd said.

Judd said he blamed the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice for not placing the teens in programs that corrected criminal behavior.

"They don't have to be responsible, and they are not being held accountable by the criminal justice system, specifically the Department of Juvenile Justice," Judd said. "Here is your clue, you can't hug a thug and think they will behave."

The chase began when a driver sped off after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop, said Steve Hegarty, Tampa Police Department spokesperson.

The car, a white Toyota Corolla, was believed to have been stolen in a carjacking in Osceola County.

Tampa police joined in the pursuit and the suspect drove south on Interstate 275, police said.

Just before the driver got off at the Howard/Armenia Avenue exit, a police car crashed into a guard rail, Hegarty said. The officer sustained minor injuries.

The suspect re-entered the interstate, going north on I-275 and east on Interstate 4, police said. A Tampa police helicopter followed the vehicle to Polk County, allowing TPD vehicles on the ground to turn off emergency equipment and follow from a safe distance, Hegarty said.

Lakeland police joined in pursuit, Judd said. Tampa and Lakeland police arrested the 15- and 17-year-old in near Lakeland, Judd said.

The 14-year-old ran, hid in a house and then stole a city of Lakeland truck and drove west on Polk Parkway, Judd said. Polk deputies chased the teen until he abandoned the car and attempted to hide inside the home of "two elderly ladies," Judd said.

"Fortunately for them, he was more interested in hiding than hurting them," Judd said. "They immediately ran out of the house."

Winter Haven police and Polk deputies surrounded the home and the teen surrendered, Judd said.

The boy was on probation and was "known" to Winter Haven police, Judd said.

Earlier in the day, two other male suspects were arrested in connection with the first carjacking, Judd said. Their ages and the circumstances of their arrests were not known.

Contact Jonathan Capriel at jcapriel@tampabay.com. Follow @jonathancapriel.