Holy Smokes: Serial Cigarette Bandit Caught by Deputies in Poinciana

By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent

iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published April 23rd, 2026

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Holy Smokes: Serial Cigarette Bandit Caught by Deputies in Poinciana

POINCIANA, Fla. — Most people secure their homes to protect their jewelry, electronics, or life savings. But for one Poinciana couple, the most sought-after treasure in their house turned out to be a pack of smokes.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office recently pulled the plug on a bizarre string of burglaries that had been "lighting up" a local neighborhood since February. According to deputies, a woman had developed a very specific, very illegal habit: sneaking into a couple’s screened-in lanai just to snatch cigarettes.

This wasn’t a one-time lapse in judgment, either. The "Serial Cigarette Bandit" reportedly struck on February 17, March 11, and again on April 20. In a move that defines "brazen," she made her moves while the homeowners were actually inside the house.

A PCSO deputy, determined to clear the air, began canvassing the neighborhood to see if anyone recognized the mystery intruder. The investigation took a turn for the surreal when the deputy knocked on a nearby door. Instead of a "no, sorry," the woman who answered the door simply admitted that she was the one the deputy was looking for.

Unfortunately, that sudden burst of honesty was short-lived.

The Name Game

When the deputy asked for her name, the woman suddenly came down with a case of identity amnesia. She cycled through three different aliases faster than a revolving door before trying to casually stroll away from the scene.

The deputy wasn't buying it. Utilizing a mobile fingerprint scanner, authorities cut through the smoke and mirrors to identify the suspect as 40-year-old Deidre Amaris Shoultz. Despite being linked to multiple incidents over three months, Shoultz allegedly told deputies she only popped in for a smoke once.

40-year-old Deidre Amaris / PCSO

It turns out that stealing cigarettes was the least of her worries. A background check revealed that Shoultz was a wanted woman in multiple counties, with active warrants for:

Osceola County: Failure to Appear (Driving While License Suspended or Revoked).

Broward County: Felony Violation of Pretrial Services for Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer.

Shoultz is now trading her neighborhood strolls for a stay at the Polk County Jail. She has been booked on her warrants and faces a fresh list of charges, including three counts of Burglary, three counts of Theft with a Prior Conviction, Providing a False ID to Law Enforcement, and Resisting Without Violence.

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