COUPLE CATCHES THIEVES STEALING BOAT

CHARLOTTE COUNTY DETECTIVES ARRESTED TWO MEN AFTER THEY WERE CAUGHT TRYING TO STEAL A BOAT BY THE OWNERS.  DEPUTIES SAY SARAH FREEMAN OF 256 TORRINGTON STREET IN PORT CHARLOTTE HEARD A NOISE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AT AROUND 10:30 THURSDAY NIGHT.  SHE NOTICED A PICK-UP AND ALERTED HER HUSBAND JOHN, WHO SAW TWO MEN TRYING TO STEAL HIS BOAT AND TRAILER.  JOHN YELLED FOR SARAH TO GET A GUN, BUT WENT INSIDE TO GET IT HIMSELF AS SHE THREW PINE CONES AT THE TWO HISPANIC MEN.  THEY CONTINUED TO HOOK UP THE TRAILER TO THE PICK-UP UNTIL JOHN CAME OUT WITH HIS HANDGUN.  THE PAIR FLED AND SARAH CALLED DEPUTIES.  A PERIMETER WAS SET UP BUT THE CANINE TRACK ENDED ABRUPTLY, SIGNALING THE MEN WERE PICKED UP.  MINTUES LATER, THE OWNER OF THE PICK-UP CALLED THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO REPORT HIS TRUCK WAS STOLEN.  HE SAID TWO MEN, 23 YEAR OLD JOSE GALICIA AND 23 YEAR OLD CARLOS VELAZQUEZ, BOTH OF PORT CHARLOTTE, HAD BORROWED THE PICK-UP EARLIER IN THE DAY AND GALICIA CALLED TO SAY IT WAS STOLEN BECAUSE SOME GUY JUST PULLED A GUN ON HIM.  DETECTIVES LOCATED GALICIA AND VELAZQUEZ FRIDAY MORNING AND THEY WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, CHARGED WITH GRAND THEFT AUTO.  BOTH MADE BOND AND WERE RELEASED FROM THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY JAIL.