DEEP CREEK — Charlotte County Sheriff’s detectives arrested two teenagers in connection with eight car-hopping thefts from unlocked cars in Deep Creek on Friday morning. Arrested were Kameron Cody Long, 17, of the 200 block of Surinam Street, Deep Creek, and Alyssa Nicole Coulthard, 17, of the 7400 block of Seagrape Road, Punta Gorda (Burnt Store Meadows). Road deputies were patroling the Deep Creek area at 7:05 a.m. and observed a vehicle with the light on inside in the 26300 block of Bridgewater Road. The owner said her Coach purse, wallet, and credit cards were stolen. At 7:30 a.m., CCSO dispatched deputies to the Circle-K, 2146 Kings Highway in Port Charlotte. A clerk reported a young couple came into the store at 2:30 a.m., bought nothing, and then left. They returned in the same white Toyota Camry at 5:30 a.m. and observed the young woman dump numerous items in the trash can outside and then drive off. The clerk checked the trash can and found several wallets, key chains with keys, credit cards and driver’s licenses. Deputies retrieved video surveillance from the Circle-K that showed the couple in and out of the white Camry and the woman putting items in the trash can.

A school resource officer at positively identified Long and Coulthard. Detectives went to Coulthard’s home and talked to her grandparents, who said they let Alyssa use their car to go out with friends. The car in the driveway was the same as seen in the Circle-K video. The grandmother said she found three purses inside her car that didn’t belong to her. Coulthard was taken in for questioning and detectives learned that both teens were involved in entering approximately 10 unlocked vehicles on Bridgewater Road, Amarillo Lane, Rampart Boulevard and San Cristobal Avenue. Long entered the unlocked vehicles and Coulthard was the lookout. Stolen were purses, an iPad, iPod, credit cards, licenses, keys, cell phone and coins. They cashed in the coins at the Deep Creek Walmart in the amount of $26.34. Most of the contents of the three purses were dumped in the Circle-K trash can and Coulthard kept the purses for herself. Both were charged with four counts of felony burglary to a conveyance. Coulthard was also charged with three counts of grand theft and one count for petit theft. Long was additionally charged with one count of grand theft and three counts of petit theft. They were taken to the Charlotte County Jail, booked, and then released to their parents on home detention.