Lakeland Teen Arrested After Fingerprints Link Him to Stolen Vehicles

14-year-old Eluterio Koenig / PCSO

Staff Reporter | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published September 23rd, 2025

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Teen Car Thief Identified Through Fingerprint Analysis, Arrested by PCSO

Lakeland, FL – A 14-year-old on probation has been arrested after forensic investigators with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) used latent fingerprint analysis to connect him to two stolen vehicles earlier this month.

On Sunday, September 14, around 8:15 a.m., a Lakeland resident reported her 2020 Kia Forte stolen. Just two hours later, another resident reported the theft of his Toyota Tacoma. Using a mobile tracking app, the Tacoma’s owner located his stolen truck in a field off Parker Street West. When deputies arrived, they discovered both stolen vehicles hidden from view in the same field.

The PCSO Forensics Investigations Unit processed the vehicles and recovered several fingerprints from the exterior and items inside. After analysis by the Identification Section, prints lifted from the hood, driver’s door, and rear door were positively matched to 14-year-old Eluterio Koenig, who has a prior theft conviction and has been on probation since December 2024.

Detectives interviewed Koenig, who admitted to riding in the Kia before confessing to stealing it and discarding the key. He also admitted to stealing the Toyota, leaving it parked in the field, and abandoning the key inside.

Koenig was arrested and charged with:

2 counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle (F3)
2 counts of burglary (F3)
Grand theft of a controlled substance (F3)
Violation of probation (M2)

PCSO officials confirmed that after forensic processing, both vehicles were returned to their rightful owners.

Sheriff Grady Judd highlighted the case as a testament to the critical role of forensic science in law enforcement.

“Last week was National Forensic Science Week, where we take time to express our appreciation for our forensics investigators, identification technicians, and latent print examiners – and this case is just one of thousands of examples of how integral they are to solving crimes and putting criminals in jail. I’m so proud of these agency members who work so hard behind the scenes to help keep our citizens safe.”

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