Two teens charged with burglary, larceny
Two teens are facing charges of burglary and larceny, among others, for reportedly breaking into a Cape Coral home and stealing several firearms.
Javier Ivan Guzman, 17, of 2828 N.W. Third Terrace, and John Andrew Horn III, 17, of 7571 Grady Drive, North Fort Myers, are charged with one count of armed burglary of a dwelling structure or conveyance, four counts of larceny grand theft of a firearm, one count of larceny grand theft $300 or more but less than $5,000 and one count of criminal mischief.
Guzman was additionally charged with one count of altering identification removing serial number from a firearm, according to the arrest reports.
On Aug. 4, a helicopter pilot for Lee County Mosquito Control landed his helicopter in a vacant field in the southeast corner of Burnt Store Road and Embers Parkway to take a break. Upon landing, the pilot observed a black safe that had been pried open lying on the ground next to some bushes.
Cape police were called to the scene and the safe was removed. Forensics technicians matched fingerprints on the safe to Horn, the reports state. A passport located in the safe belonged to a man who reported that his home had been burglarized on July 21. The man had reported a safe stolen, along with four firearms, an X-Box 360 and a black backpack.
Cape detectives met with Horn and his father Monday. According to police, Horn initially denied any knowledge of the burglary or the safe. He eventually admitted to helping his friend, Guzman, break open a safe but denied taking part in a home burglary or taking any items stolen from the victim’s home.
Detectives then went to Guzman’s home and spoke with his mother until the teen arrived. According to the reports, Guzman told police that he broke into the home, located in the 2800 block of Northwest Third Street, and took one SKS assault rifle and one black Mavrick shotgun from the inside of a closet.
Guzman noticed the safe in the master bedroom closet, but he could not open it and it was too heavy to carry, he reportedly told detectives. Guzman then contacted Horn, who drove over to the home. The reports state that he and Horn carried the safe out and loaded it into Horn’s vehicle, then left.
The two drove to Guzman’s home, where they unloaded the safe into the garage and Horn used a hammer on the safe to open it up. According to the reports, the teens found a Taurus semi-automatic handgun and a Walther semi-automatic handgun inside the safe. Guzman told police that Horn took the assault rifle and the Taurus handgun, and he held onto the other guns.
Guzman denied knowing anything about the X-Box 360 or backpack.
Police conducted a search of Guzman’s house and recovered the Mavrick shotgun and the Walther handgun. According to officials, the serial number on the handgun had been scratched off, and Guzman stated that he had tried to remove it so the gun could not be identified as being from the house that he burglarized. Police also found ammunition stolen from the same home.
Guzman was arrested and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center.
On Tuesday, Horn turned himself in at the Cape Coral Police Department and was placed under arrest. He also was sent to the Juvenile Detention Center.
Horn declined to comment on the case against him Thursday.
Guzman could not be reached for comment.