Two Hernando youths were arrested on Thursday by Citrus County Sheriff's Office deputies in connection with seven Hernando vehicle burglaries.

Arrested were James David Poole, 20, of 2349 N. Lakefront Drive, and Shawn Douglas Robertson, 18, of 3921 N. Ranch Pass Terrace.

The thefts all occurred between Wednesday and Thursday in the Lake Park community, which is off State Road 200 in Hernando. One of the victims had a number of rare items in his car at totaled nearly $100,000 in value. Items included silver bars, silver certificate bills, jewelry, baseball cards and family heirlooms.

All of the burglarized cars were unlocked when they were burglarized, the CCSO said.

According to the arrest reports, CCSO investigators were told by three witnesses that they were shown silver-certificate money by Poole and Roberston, and were asked if the money was fake or worth anything. After being read his rights, Robertson told an investigator initially that Poole had broken into a vehicle and residence across the street from where he was staying, and later broke into a truck elsewhere.

Robertson also said Poole brought over a large black box from the truck, filled with stolen items from truck. He said that later he and Poole walked throughout the neighborhood looking for cars to break into. He said he didn't commit the break-ins, but did act as lookout, and that the black box from the truck was inside his girlfriend's home in the attic. Robertson had been staying with the girlfriend.

The owner of the girlfriend's home consented to a search, and the investigator found a red bag in the home's attic that contained several silver bars, antique coins, foreign currency, baseball cards and other items reported stolen. The homeowner presented the investigator with a digital camera found in her daughter's bedroom, three silver certificate bills and three silver quarters found in the seat cushion of the couch in the living room. She showed the investigator the black box, which was found hidden behind clothing in the living room behind a desk.

Poole was advised of his rights, then told the investigator that Robertson had told him he had broken into several vehicles and stolen several items. Poole said that Robertson had shown him the black box and contents inside. He told the investigator he went to the bank and cashed several antique coins in for paper currency on Wednesday on Robertson's behalf. Poole said he didn't know the coins were stolen, even though Robertson told him he had been breaking into neighborhood vehicles.

The girlfriend told the investigator Poole and Robertson told her they had broken into vehicles throughout the neighborhood, and that she saw the black box and contents, and that Robertson put the contents of the box into her red bag in the attic while Poole watched.

Both Poole and Robertson were arrested and taken to the county jail, where they were booked on charges of burglary of a conveyance and grand theft. Bond for each was set at $44,000.