News and Investigations

During the early morning hours of November 1, 2024, Polk County Sheriff's deputies assigned to the Northwest District in the north Lakeland area solved a series of car burglaries, recovered three stolen firearms, arrested the teenaged suspect, and then arrested the teen's stepfather when he decided to physically fight them.

The car burglary trend began in the middle of September 2024 in the Hamlet Circle area. A wallet was stolen from a vehicle parked overnight. One month later, two firearms were stolen in the same area from another personal vehicle. Video surveillance from the October burglary showed a suspect wearing gloves, a face mask, and long sleeves, flipping door handles and attempting to break car windows.

On October 31, 2024, in the middle of the day, deputies responded to Hamlet Circle in response to a suspect fitting the same description attempting to break into vehicles, who was scared off by a resident. The resident confronted the suspect, who grabbed his waistband and said that he "had something for him," and clarified that it was a firearm if he came any closer. In fear for his life, the witness retreated and called 911. During this time frame, one vehicle had its back window shattered.

Deputies flooded the area and conducted a neighborhood canvass. Several home surveillance videos were reviewed that showed the suspect's path, which included the area of Porch Court. While deputies were still circulating the area, they saw an unknown black male teenager fitting the description walking in between Porch Court and Hamlet Circle. When they called out to him, he took off running, and they ran after him.

They caught up with the fleeing suspect on Britt Road, and he was identified as 17-year-old Ronetae Degraffenreid, who lives at 8314 Porch Court with his mother and stepfather. The family recently moved to Polk County from North Carolina.

Ronetae's parents were initially cooperative while talking with deputies about their son's activities, until another victim approached and told deputies that her car keys were missing, along with her work ID badge and keys to her office. She had video that showed Ronetae on it. She advised when she is home, her vehicle is parked inside her garage.

Ronetae's parents then decided not to cooperate and attempted to go back into their home, which was being secured for the purpose of obtaining a search warrant. Ronetae's stepfather, 37-year-old Anthony Pettiford, balled up his fists and took a fighting stance while approaching a PCSO Sergeant. A detective intervened, at which time Pettiford grabbed the detective and threw him aside. Pettiford was taken to the ground, where he continued to actively fight the deputies, and Tasers were deployed. He was taken into custody, and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, and resisting arrest without violence.

Pettiford told deputies that he is from New York, then North Carolina, and that the family moved here from N.C. approximately one-and-a-half months ago [note; the first burglary occurred on September 16th]. His criminal history from four different states includes charges such as armed robbery, kidnapping, possession of a firearm as a minor, burglary of an occupied dwelling, theft, fleeing to elude, and DWLSR.

During the execution of the search warrant, deputies found the following stolen items in Ronetae's room:

The keys from the victim who reported her car being burglarized while they were at the scene interviewing the suspect;

A debit card that was stolen in mid-September from the Hamlet Circle area;

A Glock 23 illegally modified to make it an automatic machine gun, loaded and with a round in the chamber; entered into the system as stolen from Lake County; hidden in the air handler;

A Smith & Wesson 38 special, loaded and with a round in the cylinder; stolen from Hamlet Circle in mid-October; hidden in the air handler;

A 9mm handgun, loaded and with a round in the chamber; stolen from Hamlet Circle in mid-October; hidden in the air handler;

Venlafaxine and Clonazepam pills, which are prescription pills and illegal to own without a prescription; additionally, Clonazepam is a schedule 4 narcotic;

Three large containers of nitrous oxide; a witness told deputies that Ronetae told another juvenile he had "whippits" for which nitrous oxide is known to be abused;

Ski mask, gloves, backpack (all seen in videos), and a window punch.

Ronetae has been charged with:

Armed burglary (F1)
Unarmed burglary (F2)
Possession of machine gun (F2)
2 counts Grand theft of a firearm (F3)
3 counts Attempted burglary (F3)
Possession of controlled substance (F3)
Petit theft (M2)
Possession of inhalant (M2)
Possession of prescription drug without prescription (M2)
Simple assault (M2)
Resisting arrest (M1)
Unlawful possession of personal ID (M1)
Possession of firearm by person under 18 years old (M1)
Possession of drug paraphernalia (M1)


“This family learned the hard way that we don't play around here in Polk County when it comes to keeping our residents safe. I cannot even fathom why this juvenile had so many loaded and dangerous firearms in his room. And what a great example his stepdad is setting. They both fooled around, and found out. We welcome anyone who wants to move here to our county, which is a wonderful and safe place to live, but we do have this message - if you come here to commit crime, we will lock you up without hesitation.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff


"Oh and, you can't make this up - this family has a doormat at their front door that says 'come back with a warrant.' They might want to think about redecorating now that they've gotten our attention, and everyone else's." - Grady Judd, Sheriff