Watch CBS News

Boy Scouts Help Foil Key West Theft

KEY WEST (CBSMiami) - If you decide to take something that doesn't belong to you, one Key West man found out the hard way you'd better check to be sure the boy scouts aren't around.

17 scouts from troop 850 in Princeton, New Jersey were biking around old town as part of a group trip when a barefront man ran past them, followed by a second man calling out for help.

That man, who told witnesses he was a tourist from Brazil named Adriano Furlan, claimed the first man had stolen his phone and his wallet.

Scouts don't stand for robbery, so the leader with the kids called police while the scouts on their bikes kept the alleged robber in sight. He kept running; they kept biking, keeping their distance until police arrived.

Cops took 38 year old Jason Norwood into custody, and charged him with larceny and grand theft, charges serious enough to land him in the Monroe County jail without bond.

Police were able to get the tourist's wallet back, but his phone seemed lost until the scouts fanned out in a search pattern, part of scout training, eventually finding the phone and returning it, complete with a fingerprint, to police.

The tourist got his phone back, Key West police got their man, and the Princeton boy scout troop got the best "what I did this summer" story of anyone they know.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.