Man accused of using child to steal thousands in fishing rods in Florida

BEEN BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION. >> I WAS UPSET. THAT'S WHAT I MAKE A LIVING WITH. I NEED I NEED MY RODS AND I'VE BEEN. THROUGH A LOT WITH THIS SLIDE FROM THE HURRICANE. AND A LOT OF MY EQUIPMENT TOOK A BEATING FROM THAT. >> SOMETHING SEEMS A LITTLE FISHY WITH THIS CRIME. A MAN IS ACCUSED OF USING A CHILD TO STEAL FISHING RODS. GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER MADISON ADAMS AS REELING IN THE MUST-SEE VIDEO. >> I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE VICTIMS. HE SAYS A THIEF SNUCK INTO HIS BACKYARD AT 11:00PM AND STOLE 7 OF HIS FISHING RODS OFF HIS BOAT. THIS IS REALLY HITTING HIM HARD BECAUSE HE OWNS A CHARTER BUSINESS AND HE STILL HASN'T RECEIVED HIS RODS BACK. I WAS UPSET. THAT'S WHAT I MAKE A LIVING WITH. I NEED I NEED MY ROBBED HIM. HER MISSES ONE OF AT LEAST 4 INGLEWOOD RESIDENTS WHO HAD FISHING ROD STOLEN A DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE ON TOP OF HAVE BEEN. >> THROUGH A LOT WITH THIS SLIDE FROM THE HURRICANE. AND A LOT OF MY EQUIPMENT TOOK A BEATING FROM THAT. HE SAYS THE POLLS STOLEN OUT OF HIS BOAT ARE WORTH $2000 TOTAL. THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS 42 YEAR-OLD MARK STELZER EXPLOITED HIS OWN GIRLFRIENDS, MINOR SON FORCING THE CHILD TO STEAL FISHING RODS OUT OF PARKED CARS AND BOATS IN YARDS ACROSS ENGLEWOOD, STOP BY. LIKE TO WATCHES THE CHILD SCOPES OUT SOUTH PINE STREET ON A BIKE BEFORE WALKING AWAY WITH HER MISSES FISHING POLES. THIS VIDEO RECORDED ON A NEIGHBOR'S SECURITY CAMERA. BUT LIKE THE BOY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE LIKE HAVE A CHOICE. TAKE US THROUGH THE FORCE. IN 2, THE DEPUTIES GOT A SEARCH WARRANT AND RAIDED SELTZERS HOME ON RUSSELL BEALE STREET IN NORTH PORT WEDNESDAY. INSIDE THEY FOUND OVER $6,500 WORTH OF STOLEN FISHING POLES. DEPUTY STAY CELLS ARE PAINTED THE FISHING RODS TO MAKE THEM UNTRACEABLE. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT. IT'S NEXT LEVEL. HE DIDN'T NEED TO GO THAT FAR. I DON'T THINK I THINK IT WAS ENOUGH TO JUST STEAL THEM. AS FOR HER MS OF THEY GET HIM BACK AND HOPE KID LEARNS A LESSON IF THIS ARTICLE COULD GET DETER SOMEBODY FROM DOING IT AGAIN, THAT'S A GOOD THING. STELZER WAS ARRESTED AND BOOKED INTO THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY JAIL FRIDAY. HE'S FACING SEVERAL CHARGES FOR CONTRIBUTING TO CHILD DELINQUENCY, BURGLARY, GRAND THEFT, AS WELL AS TAMPERING WITH PHYSICA

A 42-year-old man has been arrested in Florida, accused of forcing a child to steal thousands of dollars worth of fishing rods.Authorities said at least four residents in the community of Englewood fell victim to a thief who targeted boats and parked cars in residential yards.One of the victims, Tim Hermus, spoke about the impact of the theft on his livelihood with sister station WBBH."I was upset; that's what I make a living with," Hermus said. "I need my rods, and I've been through a lot with the flood from the hurricane. A lot of my equipment took a beating from that."The stolen fishing rods, taken from Hermus’s boat around 11 p.m., are worth around $2,000. He has yet to recover the equipment, which he says has severely affected his charter business. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office arrested Mark Stelzer for the thefts. Deputies said Stelzer exploited his girlfriend’s minor son, coercing the child to steal fishing rods from parked cars and boats across Englewood. Security footage obtained from a neighbor’s camera shows the child riding a bicycle, scouting the street before walking away with Hermus’s fishing rods. Stelzer’s arrest followed a search warrant executed at his home in North Port, where authorities discovered over $6,500 worth of stolen fishing rods. The rods had been painted to make them untraceable. Stelzer has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, burglary, grand theft, and tampering with physical evidence. He was booked into the Charlotte County Jail on Friday.

ENGLEWOOD, Fla. —

A 42-year-old man has been arrested in Florida, accused of forcing a child to steal thousands of dollars worth of fishing rods.

Authorities said at least four residents in the community of Englewood fell victim to a thief who targeted boats and parked cars in residential yards.

One of the victims, Tim Hermus, spoke about the impact of the theft on his livelihood with sister station WBBH.

"I was upset; that's what I make a living with," Hermus said. "I need my rods, and I've been through a lot with the flood from the hurricane. A lot of my equipment took a beating from that."

The stolen fishing rods, taken from Hermus’s boat around 11 p.m., are worth around $2,000. He has yet to recover the equipment, which he says has severely affected his charter business.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office arrested Mark Stelzer for the thefts. Deputies said Stelzer exploited his girlfriend’s minor son, coercing the child to steal fishing rods from parked cars and boats across Englewood. Security footage obtained from a neighbor’s camera shows the child riding a bicycle, scouting the street before walking away with Hermus’s fishing rods.

Stelzer’s arrest followed a search warrant executed at his home in North Port, where authorities discovered over $6,500 worth of stolen fishing rods. The rods had been painted to make them untraceable.

Stelzer has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, burglary, grand theft, and tampering with physical evidence. He was booked into the Charlotte County Jail on Friday.

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