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News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Jul 15, 2022

Lakeland man on state prison probation arrested by PCSO for stealing a U-Haul truck from Georgia

Media Contact: Alicia Manautou, PIO

On Thursday, July 14, 2022 Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 45-year-oldMarshall House Marshall House of Lakeland for stealing a U-Haul truck and other charges, including violating his Florida state prison probation.

At around 8:30 p.m. a PCSO deputy spotted the stolen U-Haul parked at the Circle K store (4950 U.S. 92 east) in unincorporated Auburndale. The truck was reported stolen from Valdosta, Georgia.

The deputy drove into the parking lot and saw the suspect, later determined to be House, pumping gas into the truck and that the truck's driver's side window was broken out. When House saw the patrol car drive into the parking lot, he moved away from the U-Haul and sat on cases of water that were displayed in front of the store. 

Store security video showed House driving the U-Haul into the parking lot and to the gas pump where he was first seen by the deputy.

House initially gave the deputy a false name and birthdate. When checked, the Florida Department of Motor Vehicle photo of the person whose name was provided was not House. 

House was arrested, and during a search, deputies located a syringe in House's pants pocket with contents that tested positive for methamphetamine. House was also in possession of a debit card belonging to deceased woman and a credit card belonging to Marshall House, which led to his identification. 

House was also wanted by the Florida Department of Corrections for violating his state probation. He was on probation for felony driving with license revoked, uttering a forged instrument, fraud, grand theft, and possession of methamphetamine. 

“Apparently this felon has not learned his lesson and belongs back in prison. And we will do everything we can to make sure that's exactly what happens.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

House was arrested and charged with Grand Theft Auto (F3), Habitual Driving with a Suspended License (F3), Possession of Methamphetamine (F3), False Identification to Law Enforcement (M1), Unlawful Possession of Personal Identification (M1), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1), and Violation of State Probation. This is his 18th arrest in Polk County, and his previous criminal history includes 10 felonies and 21 misdemeanors for forgery, grand theft, fraud, petit theft, domestic violence battery, resisting a firefighter, resisting a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, as well as multiple charges of driving with a suspended or revoked license, failures to appear, and violations of probation.