When 35 University of Central Florida students woke up to their cars broken into on March 21, despair spread across campus.

  • UCF police, deputies arrest Luther Braddy
  • Accused of being 1 of 4 suspects in car break-ins

“So I think everyone is a little bit fearful that it is going to continue to happen," said Audryn Andreoli, UCF Student. 

That feeling prompted UCF Police Chief Richard Beary to make this large break-in case a priority. And two weeks later, his officers made their first arrest. Luther Braddy, 21, is one of four suspects in the case. 

"Oh, we absolutely believe that his group is connected to a lot of other car burglaries in Central Florida," said Beary.

An arrest warrant outlines how UCF officers worked to find Braddy and are close to finding a second suspect in the case. The second suspect has not been named.

To find Braddy, UCF officers started with surveillance video at the Lake Claire apartments where several of the cars were broken into. Police then used pictures from the video and emailed those to Orlando Regional Crime Analysis (ORCA). 

Soon after, the officer working the case got an email from an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy, who recognized one of the suspects. 

The Orange County deputy's tip led officers to a 7-Eleven on Old Winter Garden Road. Surveillance video at that store showed the suspects getting gas the same night of the break-ins.

The officers were also told to come to the Sunlight Junior market where a worker recognized the suspects. The worker gave the officers the name of an Orange County deputy to call to ask about their names.

The second Orange County deputy was able to positively identify Braddy and one other suspect, telling the UCF officers Braddy was even on probation.

Chief Beary said he was not surprised to learn that Braddy was on probation. 

"Oh no, he is already on his way to career criminal status, it’s sad actually. He is 21 years old and already has about nine felony charges, he is on probation," said Beary. 

And to the three suspects that remain at large Beary said, “Look over your shoulder, because you don’t know when we are going to be there, but we are going to come arrest you. it’s coming.”

If you have any information on their whereabouts of those three suspects: call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).