Deputies search for person who stole boat in Volusia County

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said a warrant is now out for the arrest of Eliecer De La Fuenta, from Cuba, who is responsible for stealing a boat out of a New Smyrna Beach Driveway last week.

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Another suspect has not yet been identified.

It happened on Spruce Street, just off Pioneer Trail and State Road 44.

Through technology and eyewitness accounts, the sheriff said deputies were able to obtain a good description of the suspects’ van and tag number. From there, Chitwood said they went to Daytona Beach International Airport to get a rental truck, hooked it up to the boat and trailer and covered them both with a tarp.

Read: 21-foot boat stolen from driveway of Volusia County home

The unidentified suspect returned to the van they used to steal the boat and headed west on I-4, while De La Fuente went south on I-95 and eventually dropped the rental truck back off at Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

“They knew what they were doing. They knocked on the door. They just did not count on the fact that we are ringed in technology, great eyewitnesses and we were able to track all the movements through the county,” said Chitwood.

After that, it’s not clear where the boat or suspects ended up. Chitwood is confident both suspects will be caught, but he has some concerns about what could have happened to the boat.

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“Did it get chopped, did it get re-vinned, did it get taken to somebody who put in ana order for it and met them somewhere else? I mean, those are all things we have to try and figure out if we can,” said Chitwood.

Chitwood said he is working with law enforcement in South Florida and across the state to find both suspects.

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