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News and Investigations
News & Investigations
News Releases and Public Information
Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
Oct 9, 2024
Two men got stuck in sand while trying to steal, end up getting stuck in the Polk County Jail
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office were aided by sand when it came to the arrest of two men Tuesday evening, October 8, 2024.
The men, both from Winter Garden in Orange County, were captured while trying to free their truck from the sand on a construction site.
At around 7:21pm, a suspicious U-Haul truck was seen on a construction site and reported to the PCSO.
Deputies responded to the site, in the area of US 27 and Sand Mine Road (Four Corners) near Davenport.
When they arrived, they found the U-Haul truck...stuck in the sand. Two suspects were detained: 37-year old Andre Fernandes and 38-year old Daniel Lima De Andrade.
Inside of the truck, deputies found various tools, saw horses, gloves, and construction wood that they had taken from the site.
Andre and Daniel were both arrested and charged with trespassing on a construction site, possession of burglary tools, and petit theft. Because these crimes occurred during a State of Emergency, each one of their charges carry enhanced penalties.