A Fort Lauderdale woman was arrested Tuesday night after authorities located a stolen Broward Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle along Interstate 95 in St. Lucie County and deployed K-9 units and a drone to apprehend her over concerns she had access to a firearm. Shannon Marie Dillon, 42, of Fort Lauderdale, faces nine charges including grand theft of law enforcement equipment, unlawful use of a police badge or law enforcement vehicle, and possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Broward County Regional Communications received a report shortly after 9 p.m. that a marked Broward Sheriff's Office vehicle had been stolen from the public parking area of the Public Safety Building in Fort Lauderdale. Investigators working with the Florida Highway Patrol, Port St. Lucie Police Department and St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office tracked the vehicle to the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 near Gatlin Boulevard in Port St. Lucie.
Deputies spotted a woman nearby wearing an outer ballistic vest bearing Broward Sheriff's Office insignia. Officers quickly established a perimeter after learning the suspect may have had access to a firearm. Port St. Lucie Police deployed both K-9 units and drone resources. Body camera video shows deputies ordering Dillon to get on the ground before she was taken into custody without incident.
Dillon was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail and faces charges of grand theft of law enforcement equipment, unlawful use of a police badge or law enforcement vehicle, unlawful possession of four or fewer identification items, possession or use of drug paraphernalia, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, driving while license suspended, and resisting an officer without violence.
She also faces Broward County charges of grand theft of law enforcement equipment from an authorized emergency vehicle and grand theft. The deputy whose vehicle was stolen was on duty and reported the marked unit missing. Nothing is missing from the vehicle. The Broward Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Unit is investigating to determine what happened and if any agency policy was violated.