Deputy’s Facetime Screenshot Leads to Suspect’s Arrest for Grand Theft of Cell Phone

May 22, 2017

A Fort Walton Beach teen who took someone’s cell phone sealed his fate when he answered a facetime call.

18-year old Chandler Ridge Carlyle of Denton Boulevard is charged with grand theft in connection with the April 30th incident.

A Fort Walton Beach teen who took someone’s cell phone sealed his fate when the responding Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy “Facetimed” the victim’s phone and the defendant answered. The deputy then quickly took a screenshot of the Facetime conversation and showed it to the victim, who was able to verify it was the person who stole his phone.

The victim says he and Carlyle were at a friend’s house on Central Avenue when he allowed Carlyle to use his phone to call for a ride home. He says Carlyle then left with his phone, valued at approximately $600.

The OCSO deputy sent a text message to the victim’s home identifying himself and requested that the phone be returned. Not getting any response from the text message, the deputy “Facetimed” the victim’s phone and the defendant answered. The screenshot he snapped was then shown to the victim, who identified the photo as portraying the person who took his phone.

The deputy also compared the photo to the defendant’s driver’s license.

A warrant was obtained and was served May 21st.