PLANT CITY, Fla. (WSVN) – The suspect of a car theft near Tampa led deputies on a pursuit, at one point making a quick stop to steal a vape, authorities said.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, 26-year-old Zachary Brooks entered an occupied home on Alafia Hills Drive in Plant City, where he stole a vehicle, at around 8 a.m. on Saturday..
Investigators said the suspect stopped at a gas station on Paul Buchman Highway, where swiped a vape and fled.
Video from HCSO’s Aviation Unit showed Brooks exiting the vehicle during the pursuit and running into a nearby home.
Bodycam footage captured the moment police found Brooks hiding on a pool deck, just after 9:40 a.m..
He is facing charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and petit theft.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.