Amazon driver in Florida accused of breaking into vehicles

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

An Amazon driver in Florida is accused of trying to break into several vehicles while he was making deliveries, authorities said Monday.

Dane Matthew Derango, 26, of St. Petersburg, was arrested Sunday evening and charged with two counts of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, two counts of attempted burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and one count of burglary to an unoccupied dwelling, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the Sheriff's Office, around 5:10 p.m. a man identified as Derango was observed by a witness attempting to open the doors of two unlocked vehicles in an unincorporated area of Clearwater, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The man, who was wearing a blue vest and an Amazon shirt, then gained entry into a locked Cadillac, the newspaper reported.

He then exited the vehicle and drove away in a white Amazon van, the Times reported.

Deputies said they later received a report of an Amazon driver, identified as Derango, delivering a package and then pulling on the door handles of parked cars before gaining entry into an unlocked Honda van, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. According to deputies, the action was caught on the doorbell camera of the home where the package had been dropped off.

Deputies also said an Amazon driver removed a statue of Buddha from a porch and damaged three potted plants, WFTS reported.

Based on descriptions, authorities were able to locate Derango, who was making deliveries in the area. He was taken into custody at 5:35 p.m. after refusing to cooperate with authorities, the Sheriff’s Office said.

An Amazon representative responded to the scene and took custody of the van and its contents, the Sheriff’s Office said in its news release.

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