Five men are facing felony charges after police say they robbed a man at gunpoint for a $30 vape pen as he walked home from work in Winter Haven. Investigators say the suspects demanded the victim’s belongings but fled with only the vape pen after he refused to hand over his cellphone. The five men arrested include two suspects from Avon Park, all of whom now face robbery with a weapon charges. Two 17-year-old females were also arrested on resisting charges during the investigation.
Residents in Venus remain unhappy after the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners approved a settlement with CompostUSA aimed at reducing ongoing odor complaints. The agreement requires the company to adopt stricter operating practices, including banning food waste, but residents argue it limits their ability to pursue future nuisance complaints if the company follows those rules. County officials say the settlement gives them enforcement authority they previously did not have.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents that scam impersonation schemes are ramping up again across the area. Officials say scammers are posing as the FBI, banks, tech companies, and even law enforcement, pressuring victims into sending money through cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency kiosks. In some cases, they even arrange in-person pickups of cash from victims. If you receive one of these messages, hang up, delete it, and contact the agency directly using its official phone number.
A Lake Wales woman is facing multiple charges after deputies say they found 28 bags of fentanyl hidden inside her body while she was being booked into the Polk County Sheriff’s Office jail. Investigators say 48-year-old Gina Redding was initially stopped after driving around a road closure, then was arrested after allegedly calling 911 to complain about the traffic ticket and following a deputy. Authorities also found a small amount of marijuana during an inventory search of her vehicle.