I have noticed recently that juveniles committing vehicle burglaries seem to be on the rise. When I represent these juveniles, they almost always think that going into someone's unlocked car and stealing change or jumper cables is no big deal.
In a recent case in Clearwater, several 17 year old juveniles were arrested for auto burglaries. The police served a search warrant on one of the kids homes and found items which matched the auto and home burglaries. Chances are, because these kids were 17 years old, they will be charged as adults. Whether or not a juvenile is charged as an adult is usually at the discretion of the State Attorney and depends largely on the juvenile's prior arrest record.
Here's the deal kids - it is a 3rd degree felony, technically punichable by up to five years in adult prison - if the State Attorney decides to prosecute you as an adult. It doesn't matter if the car was unlocked - the fact is, it's not your car, or your things inside of the car. As an aside, it's also a really good way to get yourself shot by the car's owner if they hear you outside of their homes.
