Teen stole sheriff’s deputy’s uniform, cruiser in desperate bid to impress girlfriend
Marion County FL Sept 28 2017
Way to go, Romeo.
An 18-year-old Belleview, Florida man has been arrested for stealing a Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy’s uniform and cruiser, according to a sheriff’s office press release.
Police say Isael Ibrain Lima, the misguided romantic in question, performed a traffic stop in the hopes he’d be able to “impress” his girlfriend.
His grand gesture landed him several criminal charges, including grand theft of a motor vehicle, grand theft of a firearm, openly carrying a prohibited weapon, theft of law enforcement equipment from an emergency vehicle, burglary of a conveyance, armed burglary of a dwelling, impersonating a law enforcement officer and giving a false name to a law enforcement officer.
According to police, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office was called to investigate a potential burglary at a deputy’s home on Sunday.
Deputy Yoandy Miranda, Lima’s uncle, reported that he’d returned home from a few days away to find that his locked bedroom had been entered.
Miranda told officers that his patrol vehicle also appeared to have been entered, but it appeared nothing was missing from the home or the vehicle, the press release stated.
Miranda’s report came one day after Belleview police responded to a disturbance at a local convenience store, which involved Lima.
At the time the teen, who was wearing the Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy’s uniform, claimed he was an off-duty member of the force.
He told responding officers he’d been a witness to a scuffle between two people at the store and had requested backup from the Belleview Police Department.
Police say at the scene of the convenience store altercation, Lima introduced himself to Marion County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Bobby Levay as Deputy Miranda.
Levay was not familiar with Miranda, so he was unaware he had been duped until the department heard from the real Miranda.
According to police, when the real Deputy Miranda contaced police about the burglary the following day, officers realized the “Deputy Miranda” they spoke to at the convenience store was not who he said he was.
Using footage from the Belleville Police officer’s body camera, investigators were able to determine the “Deputy Miranda” at the convenience store was Lima.
When cops spoke with Lima he allegedly admitted to taking Miranda’s uniform and equipment and drove to his girlfriend’s home because he wanted to “impress” her. Police say Lima also admitted to impersonating an officer at the convenience store in Belleview.
Lima also allegedly told police he’d picked up a friend for a little ride along and performed a traffic stop on another vehicle while the friend was recording.
“I don’t think this man realized the danger he put himself in by trying to impersonate a deputy sheriff. Our deputies undergo extensive, ongoing training to be able to do their job safely. Ensuring public safety and trust are our priorities, and this is why we take this type of crime so seriously,” Robert Douglas, the Marion County sheriff’s Chief Deputy, said.
Lima was taken to Marion County Jail. He’s being held on $33,000 bond.
