PALM CITY, Fla. (CBS12) — What began as a routine burglary investigation exploded into a worst-case scenario when detectives kicked in the door — and found stolen guns, piles of cash, and underage teens drinking next to a loaded shotgun.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced on Thursday that a residential burglary case took a disturbing turn during the execution of a search warrant — leading to the recovery of three stolen firearms and the arrest of an 18-year-old suspect — Fernando Hoffer-Rodriguez — while revealing the weapons had been left in plain sight among underage teens.
The investigation began in May, when a Palm City homeowner reported that multiple firearms — including a rifle — were stolen while they were away. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division developed leads in the following days, ultimately securing a search warrant for a property on SW 28th Street…