Two more theft suspects were arrested during the Welcome to Rockville festival at the Daytona International Speedway after over a dozen stolen cellphones and several stolen credit cards were recovered on Saturday night.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, which is the lead agency responsible for ensuring the safety and security of Welcome to Rockville guests, arrested two individuals on Saturday, May 11. Both unidentified suspects are being charged with multiple counts of grand theft.
According to VCSO, deputies recovered a total of 18 cellphones and several credit cards that had been stolen from concertgoers on Saturday.
The sheriff’s office also arrested six suspects the previous day after multiple cellphones and wallets were stolen from festival attendees.
On Friday, May 10, VCSO responded to the Welcome to Rockville festival after receiving dozens of reports of theft, according to the sheriff’s office.
Witnesses told investigators that suspects were “working in pairs” – one would reach into the victims’ pockets, bags, or purses, stealing the contents and handing them to another suspect.
The sheriff’s office stated that VCSO deputies, undercover detectives, police officers, and security staff were able to identify and detain six suspects. Some of them attempted to flee, but they were quickly apprehended by law enforcement.
The identities of the suspects were not released by law enforcement.
According to VCSO, more than 50 cellphones were recovered from the suspects on Friday. During separate interviews that were conducted, the suspects denied stealing from festival attendees, and they further denied that they knew each other.
“Detectives determined the majority of (Friday’s) suspects are Colombian nationals who entered the U.S. illegally, lived in Los Angeles, and recently moved to Miami,” stated VCSO in a social media post.
The six suspects were arrested on various counts of grand theft. They were then transported to Volusia County Jail, where they are all being held without bond.
In addition, Homeland Security Investigations was notified of the investigation and the immigration status of the suspects.
No further details regarding the theft incidents were released by VCSO.
The sheriff’s office stated that a majority of the recovered cellphones have been returned to their owners. If you lost an item during the festival, visit Welcome to Rockville’s Lost and Found webpage.
The festival will conclude on Sunday, May 12, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office stated on social media that its deputies will be working with local law enforcement agencies to ensure that the event remains safe for everyone in attendance.