Stolen car dug up two years after theft

[TexasStooge]

ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Sidney Carlton dug himself deeper into trouble when he allegedly decided to unearth a stolen Ford Mustang frame from a rural Florida lot.

Carlton, 26, and five other suspects wound up in county jail July 16 after digging up the car, which was reported stolen in 2001, according to police.

When detectives first learned of the buried car, they visited a man in county jail who had had allegedly been involved in burying it. Police told Kevin Shaffer Jr. they had a warrant to dig the car up. Although Shaffer did not help the police, he reportedly called Carlton to warn him of the investigation.

Deputies then conducted surveillance for about 24 hours and watched as Carlton and several others used a farm tractor to "remove the remains of a Ford Mustang from a large hole in the ground," according to a police report.

Carlton was arrested and charged with auto theft, as were his half-brothers John Oteen, 38, and Roger Young, 32; and Jennifer Eldridge, 17, and Jonathan Jenkins, 24.

The car's original owner reportedly grew tired of making payments on the car and wanted to collect insurance so he agreed to let a man identified as "Grady" steal it, according to a police report.

Carlton then purchased the car for $200 but, after learning it was stolen, panicked and decided to bury it.

"Grady and Carlton stripped the car and then Carlton buried it in his yard," the report states.

All five adult suspects were released from St. Lucie County Jail on bond while Eldridge, a minor, was released from juvenile detention, according to jail officials.

In a statement, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken J. Mascara called the case "bizarre" and said it proves once again that there's no honor among thieves.