Car thief arrested after years of evading law enforcement: HCSO
www.wfla.com, Sophia Fanning, June 23, 2026
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said deputies finally apprehended a wanted car thief after he spent years evading capture.
Everaldo Alvarez Burqueno, 35, was arrested last week on multiple warrants by the Auto Theft Unit.
HCSO said that during earlier run-ins with law enforcement, Alvarez Burqueno fled at high speeds, purposefully rammed patrol vehicles, and drove recklessly along public roadways.
Alvarez Burqueno has been fleeing from law enforcement for years and has racked up a long list of charges in that time. He was also wanted in Hernando County for similar crimes and wanted by the Florida Department of Corrections for multiple parole violations.
Records from the Hillsborough County Jail indicate he is currently facing 17 total charges in both Hillsborough and Hernando counties.
He is facing five charges from an incident on April 10, 2025:
- Burglary of an unoccupied dwelling
- Burglary of an unoccupied conveyance
criminal mischief $1,000 or more
- Grand theft motor vehicle
- Fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer
- Driving with license canceled, suspended, or revoked (subsequent offense)
Two charges from an incident on Jan. 26, 2024:
- Fleeing to elude at high speeds
- Driving with license canceled, suspended, or revoked (third offense)
Five violation of parole charges from June 18, 2026:
- Trafficking in cannabis 25-200 lbs
- 2 counts of driving with revoked license (habitual offender)
- Possession of cannabis
- Uttering a forged instrument
Four charges in Hernando County from June 18, 2026
- Fleeing to elude
- Driving with suspended or revoked license
- Grand theft auto
- Possession of a motor vehicle with an altered VIN number
News article: Car thief arrested after years of evading capture: HCSO