DUVAL COUNTY, Texas — Solving crimes can be a seedy business, and law enforcement officials in South Texas had their hands full last week.
Deputies arrested four people in connection with the theft of approximately $7,000 worth of stolen watermelons, the Duval County Sheriff’s Office said.
Arrested in the Oct. 6 raid were Maria Santos Verdin, 25; Ray Lopez, 23; and Javier Verdin Jr., 21. The identity of the fourth person taken into custody has not been released.
According to the sheriff’s office, a multi-agency operation last week targeted people suspected of stealing watermelons from local farms, KRIS reported.
Law enforcement officials used a thermal imaging drone to locate and arrest the four suspects, KHOU reported.
The sheriff’s office was assisted by several agencies in Texas, including the Falfurrias Police Department, the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office, the Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office, the San Diego Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety/Highway Patrol.
“This operation is a prime example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies work together, utilizing teamwork, coordination, and modern technology to protect our communities,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
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