April 2, 2008
Brandon Haught
Public Information Office

SHERIFF'S OFFICE INVESTIGATES DELTONA ARMED ROBBERY

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an early morning robbery of a Deltona home Wednesday. Two teenagers hanging out in a bedroom were confronted by two unknown men wielding guns and told to get on the floor. The suspects snatched some hunting rifles along with a victim’s cell phone and then fled. No shots were fired and no one was injured. Two adults were also home at the time, but both were asleep and unaware of what was happening.

An 18-year-old resident and his 16-year-old friend were in the older teen’s bedroom at 966 Humphrey Blvd. when they heard the unlocked front door open shortly after midnight. They investigated but initially didn’t see anything other than the open door. After shutting the door and going back to the bedroom they heard someone walking down the hallway toward them and suddenly two men burst into the room. The teens later told responding deputies that one man had a machine gun and the other had a handgun. They were ordered to the floor while the suspects took three hunting rifles from a rack in the room. They then grabbed the 16-year-old’s cell phone and asked if anyone else was in the house. The victims said the 18-year-old’s father was sleeping in a room nearby. The suspects told the teens to count to 100 before getting up, and they then left. The victims woke up the dad and their 25-year-old friend and called 911.

The suspect with the machine gun was described as a black man, approximately 6’ tall with short dreadlocks and gold teeth. The suspect with the handgun was also a black man dressed in all dark clothing.

Anyone with information about this robbery is asked to contact investigator Craig Yackel at (386) 860-7030 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, toll-free, at 1-888-277-TIPS.  Callers to Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and can qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.