PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A 23-year-old Port St. Lucie man was arrested and charged with multiple auto-burglaries, according to the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
The auto-burglaries happened at the 2800 and 2900 block of SE Bucaneer Circle in Port St. Lucie.
Witness said the suspect, Melvin Orkel Armstead, had been seen entering and rummaging through parked cars in the driveways. Multiple witnesses saw Armstead flee the area and one witness chased Armstead to assit police.
The witness told police that Armstead attempted to enter a residence on the same street while attempting to flee, but the residence was locked. The suspect managed to get away from the witness but was located and apprehended by police at a vacant house under construction on the 2700 block of SE Bucaneer Circle.
Armstead was in possession of two cell phones and three one-dollar bills. The cash was placed into evidence, police said.
He was charged with three counts of auto-burglary to unoccupied/ unlocked cars, one count of petit theft and violation of probation.
The cars involved in these auto-burglaries were unlocked at the time of the burglary.
Police are asking for residents to secure and lock their vehicles and do not leave valuables in plain view.