Two juveniles responsible for a series of burglaries at the Bok Academy (Lake Wales Charter School) and Warner University have been arrested, Polk County Sheriff’s said on Friday.
Investigators said, during the early morning hours of April 9, 2011, unknown suspects entered several buildings belonging to Warner University and Bok Academy. The suspects smashed numerous items, broke windows, and attempted to pry open a safe and vending machine causing approximately $10,000.00 in damage to both educational institutions. Bok academy had several laptop computers and notepads stolen during the crime spree.
Through the investigation, detectives identified two suspects, 15-year-old Troy Lane Bullard of Lake Wales, who was arrested at approximately just after noon on Friday, and 17-year-old Raymond Joseph Winchell of Frostproof, who was arrested on Thursday, April 14, 2011.
Both juveniles have extensive criminal arrest histories, the Sheriff’s Office said.
At the time of his arrest, Winchell was being monitored with an electronic GPS ankle monitor.
Winchell and Bullard were each charged with three counts of Burglary to a Structure, four counts of Burglary to a Structure with Damage, Grand Theft, Petit Theft and Violation of Probation.
“This is truly hard to believe,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “These juveniles are already career criminals and they are just 15 and 17 years old. I hope this time our juvenile justice system, once and for all, makes these remorseless juvenile delinquents accountable for their crimes. They need to learn the consequences of criminal behavior: swift, just, and certain punishment. Not another ankle bracelet. Not another ‘get out of detention and promise to be a good boy’ lecture. These juvenile hooligans have demonstrated their disrespect for other people’s possessions and disrespect for society. They need to pay for the damage they have done and they need to be punished with secure detention so we can physically prevent them from stealing other people’s hard-earned property.”
