A bungling beach thief has been caught after getting a car stuck in the sand while allegedly trying to steal it.
The crime of opportunity presented itself when the owner of a blue Mercedes-Benz left his car parked with the keys in the cupholder.
The owner was relaxing in a deck chair nearby.
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A passerby noticed someone drive off in the vehicle, called 911 and followed its path.
Police located the car stuck in the sand a short distance away.
The suspect has been named as Robert Joshua Stinson.
The 27-year-old was arrested at the scene and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle.
According to reports, Stinson claimed to be a federal agent who was conducting an undercover mission and allegedly said he had been instructed to take the vehicle.
In a clip taken at the scene, the suspect can be seen speaking with officers on the beach with the car in the background.
They ask Stinson what he was doing and he replied, saying he “messed up” by heading north instead of south and claimed to be a “federal agent.”
The incident occurred on 30 June in Florida, US, with Volusia County deputies and Daytona Beach Police making the arrest.
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