HOME INVASIONS: Fifth suspect in custody

Published 11:06 am Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Live Oak Police Det. Sgt. Ron Shaw said 15-year-old Tyler Austin Carter, a suspect in Live Oak’s home invasion robberies, was taken into custody Sunday by the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office. It is the fifth arrest in connection with the string of crimes.

Carter was arrested after he and four others were allegedly seen peering into car windows around Lafayette Apartments by sheriff’s investigators early Sunday.

Carter was charged with loitering/prowling, according to Lafayette County Sheriff Brian Lamb. An adult and a juvenile from Mayo as well as one juvenile from Branford and one from Live Oak were also arrested on the same charge.

Carter had an active warrant for his arrest for allegedly attempting to invade a home in the Live Oak Pines mobile home park. According to Shaw, police thought Carter, who was identified by photo lineup, had relocated to Leon County where he absconded from probation.

Shaw said he believes there are more arrests to be made.

“I’m personally not satisfied we got them all,” he said by phone Wednesday morning. “The rest are probably laying low to see what move we will make next. It’s almost like a chess game with these guys.”

Shaw said most of the juveniles who commit these crimes are “stuck out in no man’s land.” He said they reach the age at which they might be able to get a job, but noted that jobs here are few and far between.

However, “They don’t have any regard for other people they just care about themselves,” he said.

Twenty-four home invasions robberies have been reported in the city since December.