‘Fantastic’: Off-duty deputy spots and helps capture burglary suspect in St. Lucie County
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. —
A suspected burglar in the Spanish Lakes One community near Port St. Lucie was taken into custody after being spotted by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy.
Robert Quinn, a resident of the Spanish Lakes community, shared his thoughts on the arrest.
“But yeah, a sheriff doing his job, fantastic,” Quinn said. “But that’s what I like to hear, a sheriff paying attention.”
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The burglaries and attempted car burglaries were reported in the Spanish Lakes One community.
Deputy Martinez-Delgado with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office was assigned to the case earlier this week. Information about the case, including a photo of the suspect, 44-year-old Herman Nettles, and a map showing the location of eight reported incidents, was shared with agency personnel.
Two days later, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy spotted Nettles on U.S. 1 in Port St. Lucie and called 911.
“On this particular day, the off-duty deputy noticed while she was driving, the individual looked identical to the suspect that was in the BOLO,” Capt. Andrew Bolonka said.
Deputies responded to the scene and took Nettles into custody.
“The men and women that work at this sheriff’s office and law enforcement all over the place, they may not be on the clock, but the job never rests, and this is a prime example of how men and women in law enforcement even contribute to crime fighting even when they are not working,” Bolonka said.
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Nettles is currently being held at the St. Lucie County Jail on a charge of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance – unarmed. Following the investigation, Nettles will face a total of eight charges, including five counts of attempted burglary of an unoccupied conveyance – unarmed and three counts of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance – unarmed.
“Being a law enforcement officer doesn’t stop when the shift ends,” said Sheriff Richard Del Toro. “Deputy Martinez-Delgado’s quick recognition and immediate action helped bring this suspect into custody, and I commend her for stepping up when it mattered. I’m equally proud of the deputies, detectives and Crime Analysts whose teamwork identified this suspect and built the case. Our message is clear: if you prey on our communities, we will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”
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