Eyewitness News has learned four Kissimmee firefighters could face criminal charges for allegedly breaking into a sheriff's office patrol car. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office and the fire department are conducting separate investigations.
The firefighters are accused of taking traffic citations from the cruiser. All four are still on the job for now, put they could pay a serious price for a prank.
No one is claiming the firefighters had criminal intent, but their actions could be considered burglary and theft. They're accused of using an inflatable version of an old fashioned slimjim to reach in and unlock a deputy's patrol car left in their parking lot.
"We want to conduct a thorough investigation to find out specifically what happened and then we are gonna take action at that point," said Twis Lizasuain, Osceola County Sheriff's Office.
Channel 9 has learned the firefighters are accused of using a fire department tool called a Jiffy Jak, which acts like a blood pressure cuff and makes space in a door to open a lock.
Once in the car, sources said the firefighters took traffic citations from the officer's ticket book, writing joking phrases, even profanity. The deputy fire chief told Channel 9 he learned of the incident on March 13 and launched an internal investigation to see if any city rules or regulations were broken.
"If it does in fact prove true, the city of Kissimmee will take that very seriously and deal with those employees," Deputy Chief Randy Walters, Kissimmee Fire Department.
On any given day, Kissimmee fire station 2 has a staff of five people, including a lieutenant. The chief would not say who was involved. Sheriff's detectives will interview the firefighters and the deputy, who will survey his car to see what's missing.
"It would be a crime if you entered any vehicle, whether a patrol car or personal vehicle, without the owner's permission," Lizasuain said.
The sheriff's office said it's not uncommon for deputies to leave their vehicles in parking lots of other government agencies while they're on another assignment. The fire department should be finished with the internal investigation by early next week. They will turn over their findings to the sheriff's office.
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