Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/285258
The early morning sighting of a man wanted by police led to the recovery of a stolen vehi- cle before its owners even knew of the theft, the Sarasota Police Department has reported. While on patrol of 24th Street and Dixie Avenue in Sarasota just before 4 a.m. Monday, March 24, officers with the Sarasota Police Department noticed a person for whom they had an arrest warrant entering a vehicle, a news release says. The officers radioed to others on patrol to stop the car, the release continues. A second set of officers then saw the wanted person, Aaron Fludd, driving south on Dixie Avenue, using the vehicle's high-beams lights. Fludd was wanted for Violation of Probation and Driving Without a License, the release notes. Officers stopped the vehicle in the 1800 block of 23rd Street and spoke with Fludd and two passengers, Rashard Smith and Kaveail Butler, the release says. They questioned all three about who was the car's owner. The offi- cers were able to locate the registered owner at home, the release adds. The owner told them he was unaware his vehicle was missing, the report notes. He said he had the keys and did not know how the car was taken. OFFICERS FIND STOLEN CAR BEFORE OWNERS KNOW IT IS MISSING Officer Tyler Rossnagle speaks with the victim of the car theft that was reported March 24. Contributed photo Sarasota News Leader March 28, 2014 Page 82